Synchronization
by Magnus Prime
Summary: Veteran trainer James Gottum takes his Gardevoir to a tournament and ends up in a situation he would never have expected.
1. The Interview

**Synchronization  
** _by Magnus Prime_

 _A/N: I acknowledge that my knowledge of Pokémon is limited to Generation One, so if you find any mistakes in canon, please let me know and I will do my best to fix them. I_ _did_ _do as much homework as I could, though._

 **Chapter One: The Interview**

"Welcome back to PokéTalk, and I'm Victoria Chatterbox. Our final guest is someone you should all be very familiar with. He has been a trainer for the last sixteen years, starting at the age of ten." The hostess paused with a smile as the audience murmured in excitement. "Now we all know that ten is the usual age for starting with your first Pokémon, but it's unusual for someone to remain a trainer for as long as our next guest has. After all, you can't stay ten forever." The raven-haired hostess paused again as the audience chuckled appreciatively. "And now, please join me in welcoming…James Gottum!"

A set of golden curtains at one end of the stage parted, and a dark-haired man wearing blue jeans and a white shirt under a white-and-blue checkered button-up shirt entered the studio, giving a shy smile as he raised a hand of greeting toward the studio audience. Following him was a Gardevoir, seemingly floating along behind him while casting anxious glances at the audience behind an equally timid wave. Both of them seemed uncomfortable with the setting.

"Thank you for coming on the show!" Victoria nearly had to yell over the cheers of the audience as the three of them settled into their seats.

"Thank you for inviting me," James said somewhat meekly. "It's a real honor."

"Now, before we get started," the hostess said, gesturing toward her guests, "I'd like to point out that trainers usually don't bring their Pokémon with them to interviews like this, but when they do they usually bring them in a Poké Ball. Now James, I know we talked about this during our prep call, but – for those at home who may be new – could you tell us why you don't have your Pokémon stored in Poké Balls?"

James sighed heavily. "I, uh…"

The audience knew that the question brought back bad memories for the veteran Trainer.

The Gardevoir laid a delicate hand on her trainer's shoulder, and he seemed to draw some strength from the contact. "When I was about fifteen, I caught a Diglett. One of the cutest things I ever saw. Anyway, I caught it in the usual way and named him 'Horatio'. Dunno why, he just looked like one."

"'Horatio'…" Victoria repeated. "What an interesting name."

"Yeah," James replied, absently rubbing his nose. "Thanks. Anyway, I took him home to transfer him to another Poké Ball for storage, but…" he briefly bit his lower lip. "The, uh, ball that I was transferring him to…something was wrong with it, so…when I activated its 'capture' sequence….yeah." He bit his lip, clearly unable to go on. "I don't know if the ball was defective or if it was damaged when it was shipped…all I know is that Horatio…didn't survive."

"How terrible," Victoria said sympathetically. "I can't even imagine what that must have been like, and to still feel the sadness after all this time."

"Like having your heart torn out of your chest," he replied with a tight smile and matching voice. "After that, I studied the technology myself and vowed that I would only use balls that I created myself, and that I would only use them for the initial capture."

"That's amazing," the hostess breathed. "Fortunately, your skills as a trainer were quite impressive, allowing you to earn enough money to care for your now-free-roaming Pokémon, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," James replied, seeming to come out of his depressed state. "I only caught Pokémon I could reasonably care for until I found a farm for sale large enough to house my…well, my friends," he said, briefly exchanging a smile with the Gardevoir. "Kimono here may not be living in the lap of luxury, but I do my best to do right by her as well as the others."

"Now your Gardevoir here is a recent evolution, isn't…she? This one is a 'she'?"

"Yes, ma'am," James repeated. "Kimono here is female, and we evolved her about…six months ago?" He directed the question to the Pokémon next to him, who simply nodded twice. "Yeah, six months ago."

"And she's the one you're taking to the upcoming tournament, isn't she?"

"Yes, ma'am; she's 'flying solo' for this."

"Are you sure she's ready?" Victoria asked, putting on her best 'concerned' face. "Is six months long enough?"

"We'll find out tomorrow," he replied, looking to Kimono as he patted her on the shoulder. "I have faith in her."

The audience, who had been quiet to this point, chuckled appreciatively as the Gardevoir's face reddened.

"How adorable!" Victoria squealed at the sight of the blushing Pokémon.

"Thank…you," Kimono replied softly.

One could suddenly hear a pin drop in the studio.

"She…She can talk?!" Victoria was nearly on the edge of her seat. "I knew that they could talk telepathically, but otherwise I thought they just said their names!"

"Well, you know that Team Rocket's Meowth can talk," James explained. "So I just worked with Kimono...with her permission, of course."

"Was it difficult?"

James exchanged a glance with the Gardevoir before answering. "From what she's told me, it's…kinda like learning to write left-handed when you're used to writing right-handed."

"Amazing…" the hostess breathed. "Can…Would you be willing to answer some questions, Miss Kimono?"

"I…will do my best," the suddenly-shy Pokémon replied.

"We're still working on it, so she may not be able to answer very many," James interjected, then looked to his partner. "If you're up to it."

She studied him for a brief moment, then turned to the interviewer with a hesitant smile. "I'll do my best."

"Let's see…" Victoria pored over the papers in her hand. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting to interview a Pokémon today…" Frustrated, she put the papers aside. "Let's see…do you remember your life before Mr. Gottum caught…when you met Mr. Gottum?"

"I do," Kimono replied quietly. "I remember being in a wooded area, scared of everything. I didn't know what I was capable of, so I ran from everything." She looked over at her trainer with a warm smile. "I remember how serious James looked when I first saw his face; I thought he looked mean, but now I know that it was just his serious expression."

"I know the standard procedure for catching Pokémon," James admitted, "But I just couldn't bring myself to hurt her. I mean, she was a Ralts at the time…"

"…and very cute," Victoria remarked. "I could see the problem." She briefly studied the Gardevoir. "Did he have to use a Poké Ball to catch you?"

"No," she replied with another shy smile along with a blush. "Even thought he looked so stern, I could tell that he had a kind heart."

"She walked right up to me," James interjected, apparently growing uncomfortable with the praise. "She followed me and Pierre all the way home."

"'Pierre'?" Victoria asked with a puzzled look.

"My Psyduck," James answered. "We were out for training when we came across her."

"Pierre and I get along quite well," Kimono added.

"So you liked his kind heart back then," the hostess suggested. "What do you think of him now?"

"I love him," Kimono said, then quickly covered her mouth with a gasp as the audience 'aww'ed.

"I understand," Victoria said, affectionately patting the Pokémon's knee. "I know about how close Pokémon can be with their trainers, so it's okay." She then turned to James again. "Now, to the last and most important questions of the interview: do you have a lady in your life?"

"Wh-What?" James sputtered, more forcefully than intended. Next to him, Kimono's face almost matched the color of her hair. "N-No! With m-my responsibilities as a trainer, I don't have time for relationships like that!"

As he recovered from the question, Victoria looked over at the nearest camera. "You heard it here first, girls: James Gottum is on the market!"

On live TV and as the girls cheered, the veteran trainer buried his face in his hands, right along with his Pokémon.

Miss Chatterbox couldn't help but chuckle sympathetically along with the audience at the sight as she turned fully toward the camera. "Well, thank you for joining us today, Mr. Gottum, and good luck at the tournament tomorrow! This is Victoria Chatterbox, signing off! See you again tomorrow!"

* * *

James blew a heavy sigh as he half-fell into the plush chair in his hotel room. "Man, that was exhausting."

" _Are you okay, James?"_ Kimono asked in his mind. Her psychic nature allowed her to recognize that her trainer was upset, of course, but not necessarily the exact cause.

He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "I will be. It didn't help that Miss Reeve started off asking about Horatio."

" _Miss Reeve?"_

"Victoria's real last name."

" _Oh."_ Kimono stood before her trainer and watched him as he rubbed his nose. _"Maybe…you should sleep in the bed tonight. You had a rough interview, and-"_

"It's fine," James interrupted. "I'll sleep on the couch, like always." He cracked an eye open to look up at her. "Besides, you had a rough interview too, didn't you?"

She didn't answer, but cast her gaze to the floor.

"And you have a competition tomorrow," he finished. "Nope, you're taking the bed."

" _I must insist-"_

"Denied," James interrupted again. "Now please don't bring it up again."

" _Understood."_

Even though it was through a psychic link, he could hear the dejection in her tone, so he dropped his hand from his face to look at her properly. "I'm sorry, Kimono; I guess the interview stressed me out more than I thought."

" _It's okay,"_ she said as she moved behind him to rest her hands on her shoulders. _"She was…unusually nosy. It almost triggered my protective instinct."_

"Thanks," he grunted as she started to massage his shoulders with her delicate fingers. "Horatio, my lack of love life…"

She paused in her ministrations. _"Do…Do you not desire companionship?"_

"Huh?" He leaned back to look up at her. "What brought that on?"

She looked away, unable to look him directly in the eyes. _"You've spent so much time taking care of us. Do you not want to marry, have a family?"_

He smiled as he rested one of his hands on hers. "I have all the family I need, right here. You, Pierre, Gonzalez..."

" _It's not the same!"_ she cried, then clapped her hands over her mouth, though it was unnecessary. _"Oh! I'm sorry!"_

"It's fine," James replied, waving a hand. "Go on; does this really bother you that much?"

He could feel the psychic equivalent of her opening and closing her mouth several times. _"I...I'm sorry; I've said too much. G-Good night!"_ Before he could say another word, she hurried into the bedroom, nearly slamming the door behind her.

Her trainer was left scratching his head in the living room. "What was that all about…?"

* * *

Kimono lay on her side on the bed, trying to regain control of her breathing. _I can_ _not_ _tell him. I already nearly messed up the interview. He is my trainer, and I am his…his…_

Trainers were roused from their sleep as every psychic Pokémon within five miles of the hotel suddenly wailed in despair without any apparent cause.

* * *

James tossed and turned on the couch, unable to sleep. The interviewer's question about Horatio had brought back memories that he never wanted to recall. Even over a decade later, he could still see the Diglett's look of agony, his soundless scream as the energies from the malfunctioning Poké Ball tore him apart before finally atomizing him.

He finally threw off his covers with an exasperated grunt and rolled over to check the time on his phone. "Two AM…" he groaned. "I'm going to be worthless to her like this." He sat up and, after peeling off his sweat-moistened shirt, headed to the kitchen area to warm some milk. He needed something to help him settle down.

About a minute later he heard the door to the kitchen creak followed by a gasp, and he turned to see Kimono staring at him with wide eyes. "Hey," he greeted. "Sorry, was I too loud?"

She shook her head, her eyes fixed on his chest.

He looked down, and was suddenly reminded that he was shirtless. "Oh jeez, I'm sorry!" he yelped, hurrying past her out of the kitchen. "I'll fix this!" He quickly found his still-damp shirt and put it back on; he would just have to put up with it for now. He then headed back into the kitchen to find her still frozen in place. "Are you okay?" he asked, gently taking her by the shoulders.

She shuddered once before blinking and looking up into his face. _"I'm fine, James; I'm sorry for acting the way I did."_

"No, it's my fault," he said, shaking his head. "I just wasn't thinking."

" _Are…Are you all right? I felt distress, and came out to check on you."_

"I was…remembering Horatio's accident," James admitted. "I guess the first question from the interview got me thinking about him."

" _I wish I could take the pain away,"_ she said as she pressed against him as much as the horn on her chest would allow. _"It hurts me to see you hurting like this."_

"Th-Thanks," he said, not sure what to make of her behavior. Of course, he knew that Gardevoir were sensitive to the emotional states of others, but her behavior was still…unexpected. "I'll be fine; I just have to deal with it again." With that, he turned back to the stove where the pot of milk was still heating.

As he waited he realized that his eyelids were slowly starting to feel heavier and, when he focused, he recognized the slight 'sound' of alpha waves. It only took him a moment to realize where they were coming from, and he turned to find Kimono with her eyes closed, seemingly concentrating. "Kimono, are you doing that?"

Her eyes slowly opened and she focused on him. _"I am trying to induce alpha waves in your mind, yes. Am I wrong to do this?"_

"No," he chuckled as he poured the warm milk in a cup. "No, but I still need to drink this, otherwise it'll be wasted. I wish you'd warned me first, too; I could've fallen asleep onto the stove." He quickly downed the warm drink and rinsed out the cup before sending her a lopsided, if sleepy, smile. "I guess if you want to sing me to sleep, though, I'm game."

Her giggle floated though his mind as he headed back to the couch, got under the covers, and took off his still-moist shirt again, throwing it across the back of the couch.

It wasn't long before sleep claimed him, his last vision being one of Kimono looking down at him with gentle yet unreadable expression.


	2. Tournament Day

**Chapter Two: Tournament Day**

James grunted for the umpteenth time as he stepped out of the shower. Even though he had taken the hottest shower he could stand he still suffered from stiff muscles, likely due to lack of sleep.

As he wrapped his towel around his waist, he caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror. Remembering Kimono's reaction from the night prior, he took a close look at himself to see what could have upset her. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary; while he didn't exactly have a bodybuilder's physique, he at least looked like someone who hit a non-Pokémon gym a few times a week. It occurred to him that he usually didn't interact with his Pokémon in any state of undress save during the hot summer days, when he might go shirtless while outside. For the most part, he appeared to be a fit, healthy twenty-six-year-old man… "So why did Kimono seem so upset?" he wondered out loud. Since the mirror didn't give him any answers, he tucked the question to the back of his mind and focused on the upcoming tournament as he dressed.

He was still rubbing his head with the towel as he entered the living room to find his friend pacing back and forth with worry in her eyes. "Are you okay, Kimono?"

She turned to him, studying his face for a moment. _"I'm fine, James. I guess I'm…a little nervous."_

"About the tournament?" he asked as he walked up to her and placed reassuring hands on her shoulders. "You'll be fine. You've worked hard, and I'll be there for you."

Her eyes noticeably widened. _"Yes….you will, won't you? You've been there for me from the beginning."_

"Uh, yeah," he replied, clearly confused. "I'm your trainer; that's…what I do."

Her mouth shifted to a rare smile as she gazed up at him. _"I know. It's just…"_

"What's bothering you?" he asked. "I'm no psychic, but even I can tell you haven't been yourself lately. Am I asking too much of you, competing by yourself like this?"

" _No, no!"_ she exclaimed, stepping away from him to wrap her arms around herself. _"I believe that I can win this, thanks to your guidance. If anything, I think I'm expecting too much of_ _myself_ _!_ "

"What do you mean?" James asked, pulling the towel from his head to toss it over the back of a nearby chair. "How are you asking too much of yourself? Do you…Can I help?"

" _STOP!"_ she cried with a shudder. _"You're my trainer, and I can't…"_

"Can't what? Kimono, talk to me here; what's wrong?"

She suddenly glided forward, grabbing his shirt with a surprisingly strong grip in spite of her relatively small hands. _"Please…let's…just go."_

"Sure…okay," James replied, still clueless as to what was bothering his partner.

* * *

The Gardevoir seemed lost in thought as they headed away from their hotel and to the arena. Fortunately, even though James was well-known and well-liked like most Pokémon trainers, his fans made sure to respect his space, allowing him to walk relatively uninterrupted. He would normally give his time to the fans after a tournament, signing autographs and the like, but he preferred to redirect their attention to whomever he had brought with him.

As they headed down the last stretch to the competitors' entrance, he noticed a poster stuck to a nearby wall. On it was what he assumed was an artist's interpretation of a Gardevoir. The figure depicted looked more…human than his partner, with wide hips and a ridiculously large bust. Disgusted, he tore the poster off the wall and stuffed it in a dustbin as they passed. He then heard Kimono's familiar giggle in his mind. _"It doesn't bother me…I actually think it's funny."_

"Funny?" James snorted. "They're turning your kind into sex objects!"

" _Do_ _you_ _think of 'my kind' that way?"_

"Of course not!" James nearly yelled, drawing the attention of passerby. Quickly lowering his voice he continued, "But when guys draw stuff like that…I dunno, it's like they're robbing you of your dignity or something."

" _Thank you for worrying about me,"_ Kimono's voice sounded softly in his mind. _"I can feel how_ _much_ _you care. That's why…"_

James waited for her to finish, but nothing else was forthcoming. "'That's why' what? Kimono?"

She continued in silence, her gaze firmly on the ground before them.

As the trainer's entrance to the stadium came into view, James noticed a group of trainers clad in blue jeans and leather jackets hanging outside the door, smoking. "Team Switchback…just great."

He tried to avoid their gaze as he reached for the door handle but, of course, one of them spoke up: "Hey there, cutie," he said, obviously speaking to Kimono. "Wanna change loyalties?"

"No thanks," James answered, stunning the group as he guided Kimono into the building ahead of him, trying to leave the miscreant trainers surprised and away from his charge.

It did no good, however, as two of them simply followed him in. "Hey, we're not done talking to you!"

" _James, let me talk to them,"_ Kimono said as they hurried down the hallway.

" _Are you sure?"_ he thought back.

" _Please trust me."_

They slowed their pace, allowing the Switchbacks to catch up with them. "Yeah, that's right," one of them said smugly, if panting lightly. "You don't get off that easily."

"How can we help you?" Kimono asked kindly.

"Hey, this one can talk!" the other trainer blurted as he reached into the bag slung over his shoulder. "We gotta get this one!"

"Are you stupid?" the first one said, grabbing at his arm. "We do that after the tournament, right?"

As the Switchbacks argued, Kimono and James exchanged a look. _"I think they're a little on the stupid side, Kimono,"_ James thought to his friend.

" _So it would seem,"_ she replied with an amused tone. "Are you done with us then?" she asked the arguing teens.

"Huh?" Two confused expressions turned their way. "Oh, right! So, you look like a really hot-I mean, really powerful one, and thought you might be interested in joining us."

"Thank you for noticing, but…why would I be interested?" she asked innocently.

"Because Team Switchback is the FUTURE!" they cried in unison as they performed a series of odd hand gestures toward each other, presumably their team signature.

"The future of what?" she asked as James crossed his arms, covering his mouth with a hand to hide the smile.

Both teens stopped mid-motion to stare at her. "The, uh…um…" one of them explained.

"The future of Pokémon, stupid!" the other one said, whapping his teammate on the back of the head. "So, whaddya say? Wanna ditch this loser and join the future? Hey, that rhymed! …Kinda."

"Do you even know who 'this loser' is?" she asked, gesturing to her trainer.

One of them narrowed his eyes at the veteran trainer. "Hey, now that you mention it, he does look familiar." He tapped a finger against James' chest. "You're that guy who lets his pets roam free, aren't you? Bottom something…"

"His name is James Gottum, and he is a great man," Kimono growled, though her tone was so even that only James could perceive her irritation. "He does not think of us as his pets, but as his friends and equals and…and…"

"Okay, okay," the teen replied, lifting his hands in surrender, "he thinks of his pets as friends, I got it. We do, too. So, wanna 'embrace' the future and leave the past behind?"

James inwardly groaned at the stupid pun as he shook his head.

"Your offer is very kind, but no thank you," Kimono said kindly. "But, just to show that there are no hard feelings…" she reached out and touched the side of the boy's head. "For good luck."

"Hey, thanks!" he said as he rubbed his temple. "Thanks a lot."

"Enjoy the tournament," James said as he followed his partner down the hallway. As they left, he started to say something to her before a loud THUMP interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to find the two Switchbacks on the ground, pounding on each other. "Kimono, did you use 'Confuse' on him?"

" _Yes, James."_

He glanced back a couple more times before chuckling lightly. "Nicely done."

" _Thank you,"_ she replied shyly.

* * *

He yawned through the opening speeches, but only partly due to lack of sleep; He'd been to so many tournaments that they had all started to sound the same at some point.

Finally, the 'parade' of teams marched, walked, or wandered across the field as their names were called.

"Next up is Team Gottum!"

James cringed at the announcement, but followed Kimono as she led them onto the field, forcing a smile while waving to the roaring crowd. It was his custom to follow his Pokémon; after all, if they were the ones who would be competing, then they should be the ones to get the attention. He could see lots of signs being held up by various spectators; most of them were in support of a specific team, like 'Go Team Nunchuk!' or 'Go Team Spiral', but some others were more…colorful. He saw more than one 'Marry me, Gardevoir!', causing him to wrinkle his nose. He suddenly felt a wave of hostility and looked to see Kimono glaring into the stands, and he followed her gaze, only to feel his face suddenly heat up at the sight of a sign reading 'Make me a Gottum!' - apparently a viewer from the previous day's interview. He looked back to Kimono, wondering why she seemed so angry by the sign. _"You okay up there?"_ he asked.

A wave of embarrassment highlighted her answer. _"I'm fine, James. Sorry if I upset you."_

"Please remember that the use of Specials is prohibited during the opening ceremonies," a voice over the loudspeaker announced between introductions, causing the pair to exchange sheepish looks.

After the introductions the teams were released to tents set along the sides of the field to carry out final preparations.

"Just remember what I've taught you," James said to his partner. "Even if their trainers have taught them some new tricks, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect from them."

" _Right."_

"And, since most attacks are called out beforehand, you'll have an advantage in being able to hear it."

" _What if they use some other form of communication?"_

"That's why I've taught you to look for patterns," he replied with an easy smile and a wink. "Remember, even we vaunted trainers can't memorize every Pokémon's moveset, so you'll have to be alert and ready to act at a moment's notice."

" _I understand."_

"Now," he said, patting his pack, "I've brought enough Potions and Ethers to keep you in fighting form; I don't expect you to win it all, but I do expect you to go out there and do your best. I know that this is your first tournament, but just remember what you've been taught and practiced, and you'll be just fine." He reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I believe in you, Kimono."

" _Th-Thank you, James…for believing in me,"_ she replied, her 'voice' filled with emotion as she laid one of her delicate hands on his.

After that, they sat quietly next to each other, watching the first few matches of the first round. Kimono practiced analyzing the moves and patterns of each set of competitors, watching for weaknesses, anything she could use to her advantage for when it was her turn.

"Next up: Team Basement versus Team Gottum!" the announced called.

"I really gotta think of a better name," James grunted as he got to his feet before turning and helping Kimono to hers. "'Team Gottum' sounds cliché."

" _Oh, not at all!"_ she protested. _"It sounds noble to me!"_

"Then you're very forgiving, Kimono," he quipped as they headed to their assigned end of the field. "How're you feeling?"

" _Anxious, but ready."_

They reached the marker where the Pokémon was expected to stand, and Kimono took her place. She then looked over her shoulder at her trainer. _"I will make you proud, James."_

"I already am," he replied with a smile. "Go get 'em, sweetheart." With that, he headed to the trainer's spot and sat down.

"That's 'Gottum style' on display, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer boomed, his excitement a humorous contrast to the reclining trainer's relaxed posture, causing a wave of laughter to rise from the crowd. It was well-known that Trainer Gottum's 'style' of training was more like traditional coaching; he would teach his Pokémon as much as it was able to learn, but with one huge difference. Instead of standing around and shouting commands, he would teach it how to react to its opponent, reading its moves and countering them. When it came to Pokémon strategy, he was a pioneer in this regard. Thus, he would be more of a spectator at tournaments, only coaching his partners between rounds, and only if necessary.

Kimono paid scant attention to the announcer as she focused her attention on the trainer at the other end of the field. He was a young man, probably in his mid-teens, wearing blue overalls over a dirty white short-sleeved shirt. He wore a smug grin as he juggled a Poke Ball in one hand.

"It's a great day for a swell battle!" the announcer said. "And…begin!"

Team Basement's representative drew back his arm before sending his ball flying. "Go Rattata!"

"Gen One, huh?" James mused. "And a base, at that? Not named, either. They're either testing her or insulting her."

The ball hit the ground before splitting open and, in a flash of energy that brought James a flash of bad memory, a Rattata appeared, baring its fangs and snarling.

Less than thirty seconds later the young trainer was calling his battered Pokémon back to send out his next one. "Go Geodude!"

"Is he serious?" James grunted. "Two Gen Ones? Is this trainer in training?"

Round One against Team Basement was over in less than three minutes, and Kimono glided back to her trainer. _"That was…disappointing."_

"I hear you," James replied, "but good job out there! So, what do you think?"

" _I'm not sure if they were testing me or insulting me,"_ she started, bringing a smile to James' face. _"I think that he was a new trainer with more confidence than skill. He didn't seem to know what to do with the Pokémon he deployed."_

"Good, that was my thinking as well. Anything else?"

" _Based on the movesets employed, I think that my opponents were all basics – no TMs or HMs had been used on them."_

"Excellent!" he exclaimed, laying a hand on her back. "Keep it up, and you won't need me much longer."

"I will need you!" she exclaimed out loud, apparently surprising herself. _"May…May I have an Ether?"_

"Of course," he said, also surprised by her reaction. "Which potency do you need?" After receiving her order, he handed her the bottle and leaned against the wall, watching her as she drank. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the next trainer taking his place on the field. "We're almost out of time, Kimono. Do you need anything from me before you head back out?"

" _Just your well-wishes,"_ she said as she gazed into his eyes. _"I could fight a whole army fueled by nothing but that."_

"You got it," he replied with a smile and a squeeze of her slim shoulder. "Keep it up and you've got this."

He felt what he thought was a happy sigh as she turned and headed back out to her marker. He settled back down into his spot and leaned back on his hands to watch. He noticed an unusual amount of white in a section of the stands and looked to see several men in what appeared to be lab coats, and his eyes widened in surprise. "Professor Oak…?"

Sure enough, the man himself was making his way to a set of seats that had likely been set aside for him and his colleagues. Once they were settled in, James could see that Professors Rowan, Sycamore, and Kukui were with him. James briefly considered telling his partner about them but decided to keep it to himself; one, he didn't want to distract her and two, if she knew that they were there the knowledge might make her self-conscious, also distracting her. So he decided to tell her later as he returned his attention to the field.

He watched as Kimono glided around her opponent, dodging attacks while dealing her own and, like he always did, found himself awed by the gracefulness of her movements, the way one actions flowed into the next. It was like watching a form of martial arts, and he blinked as he realized that that may have been exactly what he was seeing. The subtle movements of her eyes that showed concentration, the deliberate positioning of the hands…

He internally fist-pumped as she twirled away from what could have been a particularly damaging attack and fired back with Disarming Voice. She had studied hard and it showed as her opponent fell unconscious to the ground.

James hurried to his feet and clapped as she made her way back to him. Over the din of the crowd the announcer could be heard to say, "What an amazing display of martial prowess, ladies and gentlemen! Two rounds so far, and I don't believe that Team Gottum's Gardevoir has been touched even once!"

"Her name is Kimono!" James yelled, shaking his fist at the announcer's booth, knowing full well that the guy couldn't hear him.

Kimono put her hand to her mouth, and he could hear the giggle floating through his mind. _"It's okay, James; I don't mind being called your Gardevoir."_

"Better than 'Switchback's Gardvoir' I guess," he grumbled, kicking at the ground as he looked down. "I just wish they'd get that all I do is coach you. This is a partnership, but they keep talking like I own all of you or something."

" _You're…unique, James,"_ she replied, touching her hand to his chin to tilt his face back up to hers. _"I appreciate that about you."_

His smile matched his feeling of awkwardness. "Thanks, Kimono. Let's…Let's get you ready for the next round, okay?"

" _Okay,"_ she replied, her voice little more than a caress against his consciousness.


	3. Endurance Run

**Chapter Three: Endurance Run**

" _That was exhausting!"_ Kimono exclaimed as she accepted the potion from her coach.

"You really worked hard out there," James agreed, wiping a sheen of sweat from his forehead. Though it was true that the temperature had gone up a bit, his sweat was primarily due to concern for his partner's well-being. "Are you holding up okay out there? If you want to qui-I mean stop, I won't hold it against you; you've already done a lot."

" _No way!"_ her voice cried out in his head. _"I've come this far; I won't be able to face the others if I quit now! Besides…I want to make you proud."_

"I'm already proud of you," James said, sure that he'd said something similar earlier in the day. "I just don't want you to…hurt yourself from overwork."

She dropped the empty bottle to the ground and gently took him by the shoulders. _"I can do this, James. I_ _will_ _do this."_

"All right," he conceded with a defeated smile. "You win."

She smiled and touched her forehead to his. They wouldn't normally touch foreheads in public, but it was a special occasion and she seemed to need the contact, so he gave in.

"Oh, how nice!" a familiar yet unfamiliar friendly voice exclaimed, and Kimono and James quickly parted with heated faces to greet the newcomer.

"P-Professor Oak?" James stammered as the retired trainer walked up to them. "This…This is really an honor, sir! W-would you like a drink, sir?" he asked as he fumbled with the catch to his bag. "I'm afraid I didn't think to bring much…other than supplies for Kimono, of course-"

"I'm fine, young man, calm down," the professor said, lifting a hand to stop the torrent of words. "I just came to say 'hi' and congratulate you on your work."

"M-My work, sir?" James managed.

"What you're doing here with your Gardevoir, and your Pokémon in general, is…shall I say, revolutionary? Training them while still respecting – no, encouraging – their autonomy?" He briefly slow-clapped, ending in a hand-clasp. "I should like to compare notes with you sometime, sir."

"I…I…"

"As I'm sure you're aware, my field of study is in regards to human-Pokémon relations, and I would be very interested in hearing about how you do what you do."

"It's…really not that impressive, sir. I just work with them, teaching them as much as they're able and willing to learn, and then turn 'em loose on their opponents."

"James is a very competent man," Kimono interjected, surprising the older man. "If he hadn't spent as much time and energy on me as he has…I wouldn't be able to do this," she finished, gazing at her trainer with a smile.

"Indeed…" the professor murmured as he studied her expression. "You seem very fond of Mr. Gottum. In fact, I caught your interview on TV yesterday…hm."

"Sir?" James' face was a mask of confusion.

"Trainer Gottum; may I speak with your Gardevoir after the tournament? I've been hearing…things…about her, and would like to confirm a hypothesis or two."

"'Things'?" James repeated. "What kind of things?"

"Oh, nothing bad, I can assure you," the older man said, waving his hands. "It's…hard to explain, truly. So, with your permission…?"

"With her permission actually, sir," James replied. "I can't say this about all of my other guests, but I consider Kimono here more of an equal. I guess whatever relationship they want with me, I try to give it to them."

"Interesting…" Professor Oak murmured. "You really put the 'free' in 'free-roaming', don't you? Hmm…" He shifted his gaze to the Gardevoir. "Miss…Kimono, is it? Would you be willing to meet with me after the tournament, answer some questions?"

"It's up to you, Kimono," James said. "Whatever you choose, I'll support you."

"Interesting…" the professor could be heard to murmur yet again.

Kimono looked wide-eyed from her smiling trainer to the equally serious professor. "I…I suppose…"

The call for the next round came over the loudspeakers, causing the three of them to look up at the voice. "Well, I should get back to my seat," Professor Oak said. "Your fight is after this one, right? I'll come back after that for your answer. Is that okay?"

James said nothing but looked to his partner.

"I…I will have an answer for you then," she promised.

Professor Oak smiled broadly at Team Gottum. "I look forward to it. Thank you for your time."

"Thank you for visiting us!" James called to the professor's retreating back. "Wow…what an honor…"

" _Do you know him?"_ Kimono asked as she accepted an Ether from her trainer.

"Not personally," he admitted. "But like any trainer worth their badge, I really look up to him as well as the others. I wonder if there's any way I could meet the other professors…"

" _I'll make sure it happens,"_ she vowed. _"When I win the tournament, I'm sure they'll want to meet the trainer of the winning Pokémon."_

"Pokémon?" For a moment, he had forgotten what she was. "Oh! Right! Yeah, the…Pokémon…" His face heated up at the giggle he heard in his mind as she sipped from the bottle of Ether.

It wasn't long before the call came, and Kimono was back at her mark, ready to face another up-and-coming team…

* * *

"Well done!" Professor Oak gushed as Kimono nursed an Ether. "You are a testament to the skill and intelligence of your species!"

"Thank you," the Gardevoir said shyly between sips. "But James really deserves the credit; if he hadn't taken me in and taught me, I'd still be a Ralts, running from everything and possibly starving to death. I owe him everything."

"Th-That's not true!" James protested. "You've worked hard, Kimono! You hear that cheering? That's all you!"

"That's not true!" she also protested, dropping the empty bottle and moving to stand toe-to-toe with him. "That cheering is due to all the time and effort you put into teaching me! I wouldn't be out there were it not for you!"

A clearing of the throat snapped them out of their argument, and they both turned embarrassed faces to an amused Professor Oak. "Well, you two certainly feel strongly about each other, don't you?"

"I'm really sorry, Professor," James lamented. "I…didn't mean for you to see that."

"I'm sorry as well," Kimono echoed.

"Ah, don't worry about it," the professor said, waving a dismissive hand. "It's unavoidable that when two people are close there are bound to be disagreements."

"Close?" James echoed.

"Well, yes," Professor Oak said, as though it was obvious. "But unlike most human quarrels, you two fight for each other rather than yourselves. Most remarkable."

"What do you mean, 'fight for each other'?" Kimono asked.

The older man burst out laughing. "Haven't you two been hearing yourselves?" He pointed to James. "You have been trying to give her all the credit, while you," he continued, pointing at Kimono, "have been trying to give him all the credit!" He laughed heartily once again. "You're the way a married couple should be, supporting each other instead of being selfish!"

James heard a gasp and whirled to find Kimono on wobbly legs, leaning against one of the tent supports. "Kimono?! What's wrong?"

"N-No _thing!"_ It was strange hearing her switch voices mid-word. _"I'm fine!"_ Realizing that she couldn't be heard by both men, she forced herself to speak out loud. "I'm fine, really. I just…need another Ether, that's all."

"Are you sure?" James asked. "You've had two already, and I'd hate for you to get sick during a round." He quickly rummaged around in his pack and produced a bottle. "Here, take a Max Elixir; it'll fill you up without filling you up the wrong way."

"I'm terribly sorry if I've upset you, Miss Kimono," Professor Oak said regretfully. "I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me after the tournament."

"No, professor, I'll meet with you," she replied, seeming to get her legs back under her. "I…just need to focus right now."

"I understand," he said sympathetically. Then he walked over to James and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Take good care of her, okay?" he said as he gave the younger man a meaningful look.

"O-Of course, sir," James replied humbly, puzzled by the older man's expression.

The professor smiled broadly as he clapped James on the shoulder. "You two will go far; you're good for each other."

James waved somewhat dumbly as the world-renowned scientist headed back to his seat yet again. "That was weird," he said turning to his partner. "Do you know what that was all about?"

" _N-No,"_ she answered, sounding more than a little evasive.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "I'll understand if you need to-"

" _I'm staying!"_ she insisted, causing James to take an involuntary step back. _"I am going to win this! And when I do…"_

James smiled; she'd made requests like this before and had always lived up to her side of any bargains. "Sure. Whatever you want, you got it."

She sighed contentedly, a small smile gracing her face.

* * *

James watched, slack-jawed, as she dominated every match from that point on. While she still took hits every so often, as long as he kept her healed up she was able to go out and defeat Pokémon after Pokémon after Pokémon, and James found himself worrying that he might not be able to afford whatever it was she would ask for. "Just have mercy on my wallet…" he begged, hoping that she wouldn't hear his thoughts.

His financial concerns took a back seat as he saw that her final opponent was an Aegislash, who represented two of Kimono's weaknesses: Ghost and Steel. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked during their prep time.

" _To be honest, I_ _am_ _scared,"_ she admitted. _"But I've come this far; I won't back down."_

He smiled at her display of courage. "You're amazing, you know that?"

" _James?"_

"I think you've got this, but is there anything I can do for you before you head out there?"

She stared at him for several seconds. Finally: " _Yes, there is."_ Without warning, she stepped forward and reminded James of one reason why Gardevoir were considered the 'Embrace Pokémon'." How she avoided injuring him with her chest horn, he'd never figure out.

* * *

It was a long, grueling battle, but in the end Kimono stood victorious over the Aegislash, who quickly dissolved into energy as it was pulled back into its trainer's Poke Ball.

As the crowd cheered wildly, she dropped to her hands and knees, every ounce of energy spent in the fight.

"Kimono!" James yelled, running onto the field to nearly dump a bottle of Elixir on her head before managing to get it into her hand. "Drink this!"

She pushed herself off the ground, only to tumble back into James, who winced as her back horn jabbed him in the chest. " _Thank you,"_ she said weakly.

"That was close," he breathed as he carefully held her. "Are you all right?"

" _I'll be okay,"_ she replied, still sounding weak. _"I'm glad you had me learn Will-O-Wisp for this."_

"I thought it might come in handy," he murmured, giving her a gentle squeeze as she drank. "Figured someone would use a Steel-type, but I was still worried."

" _I know,"_ she said simply, giving his arm a weak squeeze of her own. _"I could feel it."_

James suddenly felt self-conscious, and he looked around at the wildly-cheering audience. "Come on," he said, gathering her into his arms. "Let's get you somewhere safe."

He could swear he heard a 'squeak' as he gently and carefully picked her up and carried her, princess-style, back into the arena prep area.


	4. One Battle Down, One to Go

**Chapter Four: One Battle Down, One to Go**

"Good job, you two!" Professor Oak raised his glass in salute as he sat with Team Gottum in Victory Hall. "You made an amazing team out there!"

"Kimono's the one who deserves the credit, sir," James corrected politely. "She was the one out there dodging all the bullets."

"But you taught me everything I know about fighting!" Kimono protested.

"Kids, let's not start this again, please," the professor offered, trying to defuse the situation. "You both worked toward this goal, just in different ways. Could you at least call a truce during the victory party?"

Two heads hung in mild shame. "Sorry, Professor," they said in unison.

"Hey, chin up!" came a new voice, and they looked up to see a young man standing across the table from them. A white lab coat, similar to Professor Oak's, covered tanned skin, and a white baseball cap covered his head. For some reason, he wore shades even though he was indoors.

"Professor Kukui…" James breathed. He quickly came to his senses and got to his feet, extending a hand. "It's a real honor to meet you, sir! I'm James Gottum, and this is-"

"I know who you are," he interrupted with an easy smile as they shook hands. "James Gottum, of the Free-Roaming Pokémon. Nice job in the tournament, by the way. Will-O-Wisp…good thinking!"

"Thank you, sir," James said, gesturing to Kimono, who started to her feet, "but the credit goes to-"

Professor Oak noisily cleared his throat, drawing James' attention long enough to give him a meaningful look.

James took the hint and smiled as he turned back to Professor Kukui. "Thank you, sir; it was a team effort."

"No problem. Well, I just wanted to stop by and congratulate you both. Catch you later…so to speak." With that, he headed to another section of the table where Professor Burnet sat, wafting for him.

"Wow…" James said in wonder as he sat down again. "First Professor Oak and now Professor Kukui…"

"I promised you, didn't I?"

Kimono's interruption jarred him from his thoughts. "Sorry?"

She reached over, laying a hand on his arm as she gazed into his face. "I told you that they would want to meet the winner of the tournament, so I made sure to win."

His face broke out in a smile. "Yeah, you did promise that, didn't you?"

"Excuse me?" Team Gottum looked up to see another man standing where Professor Kukui had been just moments before, this one with a shaggy gray mustache and an equally shaggy head of hair. "Am I interrupting?"

"N-Not at all!" James exclaimed as he got to his feet again, this time motioning for Kimono to join him. "Professor Rowan, it's an honor to meet you! This is my partner, Kimono!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor," Kimono said softly as she extended her hand.

If Dr. Rowan was surprised he didn't show it as he smiled kindly while gently taking hold of the proffered hand. "The pleasure is mine, Miss Kimono. Congratulations on your victory today."

"Thank you sir," she replied, "but the credit goes to-"

Dr. Oak noisily cleared his throat yet again, causing her to smile with a light blush.

"I assume there's a story behind that?" Dr. Rowan asked in a lighthearted tone.

"You…could say that, sir," James answered as he shook hands with the scientist. "Professor Oak's doing his best to keep us in line, I guess."

"I'm sure he is," Dr. Rowan said with mirth in his voice. "Congratulations to you as well, young man."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now don't let the conga line of professors keep you from you meal," he said with a wink. "You two enjoy your time here; you've earned it."

"Thank you, sir," James and Kimono said, nearly in unison.

He gave them another wink along with a smile as he wandered off, presumably to his seat.

As the food was put before them, James turned to his friend. "Kimono? I, uh…want to thank you for making this possible. I know I asked a lot of you, so I really appreciate this. So…are you okay? Are you hurt in any way?"

" _I'm fine, James,"_ she said in his mind, laying a hand on his arm again. _"Thanks to you, I was able to do all this. I…"_

There it was again…that barrier…something keeping her from saying….what? _"Are you_ _sure_ _you're okay?"_ he thought back. _"You've been...what's the word? Ah! You've left a lot of thoughts unfinished lately. Have I done something wrong?"_

" _Not at all!"_ she exclaimed, taking his hands and giving them a soft squeeze. _"You've been nothing but wonderful to me!"_

" _So what's going on?"_

Even though he couldn't hear the conversation, Professor Oak could tell from their expressions and postures that they were having an intense conversation. That they weren't having it out loud told him that it must have been something personal. Opting to play dumb he asked, "Miss Kimono, would now be an acceptable time for our conversation?"

Both members of Team Gottum blinked as though snapping out of a trance, and Kimono let go of her trainer's hands. "I-I'm sorry, sir; were you talking to us?" James asked as he tried to regain his wits.

"I was asking Miss Kimono a question," he said with a knowing smile, "but it can wait until later."

"I'm sorry if we were rude to you," Kimono offered while James nodded.

"Not at all," the old scientist replied. "I'm sorry if I interrupted a private conversation."

A pair of blushes confirmed what he had been thinking. "I-It's no problem, sir," James said in a conciliatory tone.

Professor Oak waved a hand at them. "Please, don't let me interrupt; continue your conversation." He then turned back to his plate.

Kimono and James looked at each other, concerned. _"Did he know that we were talking?"_ he asked.

" _I have no idea,"_ she replied, wide-eyed.

* * *

The food was eaten and the tables were put away, with the chairs moved to the walls.

"What's going on?" James asked Professor Oak as music started to play.

"Why, dancing of course!" the doctor exclaimed as he pointed to professors Kukui and Burnet as they walked to the middle of the room, hand-in-hand. From there they turned and held each other and started to move to the music.

"Dancing?" James repeated incredulously. "The average trainer age is, what, thirteen? Why would they be interested in this?"

The professor gave him a fatherly smile. "They're having their own party out in the tournament field, hot dogs and pizza and the like. This," he said, indicating the room, "is for those of us who are…shall we say, older."

"O-Okay. But…I…I can't dance," James admitted worriedly. "Do I have to dance?"

"Nonsense! Everyone can dance!" Professor Rowan exclaimed as he joined the group. "I have two left feet, but I manage!"

"Besides," Professor Oak said, pointing to the dancing doctors again, "if you watch them, they're not doing anything fancy; just shifting from foot to foot."

"Hey, you're right," James murmured. "I dunno, though; dancing really isn't my thing." He looked over to his partner. "What about you? You can go out there if you want; I'll wait here for you."

"That's okay," Kimono replied. "I'm not interested in dancing, either."

"Now I have a hard time believing that," Professor Oak grunted in response. "Miss Kimono, would you consent to dancing with an old fart like me? I'd be very careful."

She gave James a worried look, but he just smiled. "That's Professor Oak; he has integrity to spare. You'd be fine."

"But-" she started, but cut herself off. "Very well, Professor; I am in your care."

"Thank you, my dear," he said as he offered his hand, which she took, allowing him to lead her out the dance floor, where more couples had started to gather.

James watched with a smile as his partner seemed to enjoy herself out on the dance floor. After a while, though, his smile started to fade as an unusual feeling started to take hold, one he didn't feel very often, if at all.

* * *

"Would now be an acceptable time for that talk?" Professor Oak asked as he shuffled around with the Gardevoir.

She glanced around cautiously. "I…suppose it would be okay."

" _We could talk like this, if it would help,"_ he thought to her.

She blinked in obvious surprise. _"Thank you, sir. What did you want to talk about?"_

" _I saw your interview on Miss Reeve's show yesterday, and you said something that grabbed my attention. I was hoping you could clarify it for me."_

" _I'll do my best, but I was pretty nervous during that interview."_

" _I understand, dear. What caught my attention was when you said 'I love him' in reference to Mr. Gottum. What precisely did you mean by that?"_

Kimono suddenly stumbled, nearly taking the old doctor down with her. _"I'm very sorry! You…Your question surprised me!"_

" _I can see that,"_ Oak said kindly. _"If it's too uncomfortable for you to answer, I will understand."_

She appeared to ponder his question for a minute. _"I…I…l love him."_

" _He_ _is_ _a wonderful trainer, isn't he?"_ he offered.

" _Yes, but that's not why I feel the way I do,"_ she replied. _"It's something else, but…"_

" _Does the feeling scare you, dear?"_

A shocked gasp. _"Yes! Yes, it does! The feeling is so strong that…that if he were to find out and reject me…I wouldn't want to live!"_

" _That seems pretty extreme, Miss Kimono,"_ Oak said carefully. _"Do you mean that you feel it deeply, as though he's a part of you?"_

 _Her eyes widened. "That's it! If he was taken from me, it would be like removing my heart…or part of it, at least!"_

"Well, that addresses one of my theories," he thought aloud.

" _Sir?"_ the Gardevoir asked with a puzzled expression.

Professor Oak smiled down at his dance partner. "You showed a lot of courage out on the battlefield today, Miss Kimono; would you be up to fighting on…a different battlefield?" he asked, looking over at her trainer.

"What do you mean?" she asked, following his gaze only to bristle at the sight of James talking to one of the younger trainers. A younger, female trainer.

The good doctor found himself assaulted by a sudden wave of hostility. "Miss…Kimono…"

"Huh?" Kimono blinked, and the hostility quickly subsided as she looked up at the professor's pale face. _"Oh, sir! I'm so sorry! I just saw…"_

"I know, I know, dear," he said consolingly as he worked on regaining his bearings. "It must have been difficult for you. So, are you up to this fight?"

She gave him a determined look, but it quickly faded. _"But…I can't attack a human! That would be wrong!"_

He smiled affectionately as he patted her on the hand. "There are…other ways, better ways to fight this battle. Come with me," he said, leading her over to the wall. "It's time for you to learn some new strategies."

* * *

"So, it's no big secret or anything," James said, spreading his hands as he talked with the wide-eyed member of Team Spiral. "You just try to learn what they like and don't like and try to give it to them…or keep it away."

"That's amazing…" the girl breathed, not hearing a word he was saying. "So…how old are you?"

"Huh?" James was clearly surprised be the question from left field. "How old am I?"

"I'm sixteen!" she declared, stars in her eyes as she flashed a 'victory' sign. "I love Pokémon, you love Pokémon…we'd work well together, don't you think?"

"Um…" he had been sure he'd never understand the way women think, and the girl in front of him was giving him good reason to hold to that belief. "I…couldn't say. I'm twenty-six; a little old for you."

"Twenty-six?! No way!" Everything the girl said or did was overdone and exaggerated. "But that's okay! It's only ten years difference, right? And I'm old enough to marry!"

"G-Good for you, Miss…I'm sorry, what was your name?"

"Emilia!" she chirped, flashing the 'victory' sign again. "But you can call me 'Emi' if you want."

"Nice to meet you, Emilia," he said carefully, figuring that calling her by her nickname could cause problems we was ill equipped to handle. "So, getting back to training-"

"Oh, I'm done talking about Pokémon for now," Emilia said, stepping well into the veteran trainer's comfort zone. "I want to talk about you! What do you look for in a girl?"

"I'm…I'm not looking for a girl right now…" he squirmed, trying to find a polite means of escape.

"Oh, I know, right? Victoria told us you were single!"

He internally groaned at the memory. "Yes, I'm single, but-"

"Ah, there you are!" a welcome voice chimed in, and James breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Professor Oak heading toward him.

"H-Hello again, sir," James said, trying to not sound too relieved. "Please tell me…er, is there something I can help you with?"

"Emilia, are you sure this is your kind of gathering?" the doctor asked. "The other trainers your age are outside, having hot dogs and the like. This place reeks of old people."

"Oh, it's fine," she replied. "I'm an adult now; I just had my sixteenth birthday, so I'm right where I belong!"

"Indeed? Well, happy birthday!" he exclaimed with a broad smile.

"Isn't' it?" she exclaimed, flashing her now-overused 'victory' sign. "And Jim and I were just talking about raising Pokémon! He's so smart!"

"J-Jim?" the veteran trainer sputtered; usually only people close to him were allowed to call him that.

"Young lady, you don't know him well enough to be referring to him so casually," the professor gently admonished.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she wailed with an exaggerated expression of regret.

"That's okay, miss." Professor Oak shook his head with a smile at the young trainer's antics, then looked to his main goal. "Mr. Gottum, I'd like to talk to you; would you join me out on the balcony?"

"The balcony?" He didn't know the arena had a balcony, but at least it gave him a polite means of escape. "Uh, sure! Please excuse me, Emilia," he said, quickly stepping to Professor Oak's side. "Duty calls."

"Awww…" she complained half-heartedly. "Will you came back when you're done?"

"I…" James looked to the older man for help.

"He may be indisposed for the rest of the event," Oak said, sending James a reassuring glance. "May I suggest finding a dance partner?"

"But everyone here is so old," she complained, wholeheartedly this time.

"Then maybe you could join the kids outside?" James suggested.

Her eyes widened as she realized the predicament she'd put herself in. "I'll…figure something out," she decided with another 'victory' sign, this one more hesitant. "Don't keep me waiting, James!"

James followed the professor out of the room and, the moment the door 'clicked' shut behind them, the older man leaned against the wall and laughed until tears nearly leaked from his eyes. "What did you get yourself into, James?" he managed between fits.

"I don't know, sir!" the younger man replied, trying to contain his own mirth as they started walking again. "I was just minding my own business, watching you dance with Kimono, when Hyper Teen Force suddenly threw herself at me!"

"Is she your type?" the older man asked, still chuckling.

"No way! She's way too young for me! Maybe in a few years, when she has some life experience, but now?" James spread his hands along with an expression of mock revulsion. "Noooo, thank you!"

"That's good to hear," Oak replied, his tone still light.

"Hey, where is Kimono, anyway? I didn't see her leave."

"She's waiting for you," the doctor said ambiguously. "Just…follow me."

It wasn't long before they come a set of glass double-doors, and the professor opened them to reveal… "Woooowww…"

A spacious balcony greeted him with soft colors that made a beautiful contrast to the blue of the sky above them. Several cream-colored tables were spread around, while similarly-colored chairs sat vacant, as though waiting for guests. Rich, green bushes and small trees in equally small planters decorated the area. As James stepped further onto the oversized landing, he saw that the balcony allowed them to see the green hills in the near distance, while protecting them from the sight of traffic and other 'busyness' below them.

"This is awesome…" he breathed, then he noticed the lone figure, her back to him, waiting along the short wall that enclosed the area. "Kimono…?"

Oak smiled as he crossed the distance between them and gently tapped her on the shoulder. James could see him say something to her, and she turned to face him, nodding several times as he spoke. He then laid a hand on her back and guided her over to where James waited patiently. "This young lady has something to tell you, Mr. Gottum," the professor said gently and encouragingly. "And I'm pretty sure she won't wave the 'victory' sign around while she does it."

"That's a relief," James chuckled, then turned his gaze to his partner. "Sorry; I didn't see you leave, Kimono."

She studied him, and he could feel the fear emanating from her, stronger than he'd ever felt from her before. "It's okay, James; Professor Oak was helping me understand myself, and…" She couldn't finish her thought, unable to even 'mind-speak' it to him.

"Kimono, I can tell you're scared," James said, taking a step toward her. "Is there something I can do to help you?"

"Just…listen to what she has to say," Oak said, his hand still on her back. "Go ahead, dear."

She looked her trainer, her friend, her... _"James? I-"_

"Out loud, dear," Oak reprimanded her softly. "Remember what I told you."

She nodded, then crossed her arms over her chest as though to protect herself, from… "James? Do you remember when you found me?"

"Of course," he replied with a warm smile. "Pierre and I were out training when you wandered out of the nearby forest. You were a really cute Ralts."

"Th-Thank you," she said with a shudder. "I had never seen a human before, and I could feel the kindness in you, in the way to talked to and treated Pierre, that…I wanted to be around you."

"Well, that's norm-" James started to say before he was cut off by a slight shake of the older man's head.

"It's normal for my kind; is that what you were going to say?"

"Sorry."

"Well, you're right, and that was why I came to you at first. But as you took care of me and taught me what I could do and helped me become a Kirlia…" she continued, starting to tremble. "…and then helped me become what I am today...you taught me courage, James; I would have died as a Ralts had you not found me."

"I'm glad I could be there for you," he replied softly.

"I know…and that's why…that's why…"

"It's okay," James tried to reassure her. "You can tell me anything."

"You're…You're right." In a sudden display of courage, Kimono uncrossed her arms, drawing herself up to her full height. "James Gottum…I love you."


	5. New Possibilities

**Chapter Five: New Possibilities**

James smiled softly at his beloved Pokémon. "Thanks, Kimono; I love you too. But…why did you need to meet me here to tell me that? You've told me you love me plenty of times without…" he stretched out his hands to indicate the area around them, "…all this."

She slumped; "He doesn't understand…"

The hand on her back patted her, and she looked up to Professor Oak's kind face. "So make him understand," he prompted. "You've waited a long time for this, haven't you?"

"Since I was a Kirlia," she reminded herself. "What do I do?"

"Show him your heart; isn't that what Pokémon and their trainers do toward each other?"

"You're right, but…it's scary."

"Anything worth having requires a risk," he told her as James watched them, now puzzled. "Now go ahead and show him your whole heart; No holding back this time."

She closed her eyes, looking deep into her heart, remembering…

Professor Oak smiled as he saw her chest horn begin to glow. "That's right, dear, let him see…WHOA!" he yelped, jumping away was the glow suddenly spread itself throughout her entire body.

"What's going on?!" James demanded as he shielded his eyes from the burst of light. "Kimono? Are you okay?!"

Eventually the light faded, and Oak was the first to see what had happened. "Oh…my…god…"

Before the men stood Kimono in what was commonly known as a 'Mega-Evolution'. As was typical for the type she had turned completely white, save for her hair. Her 'gown' had become wider and longer, and 'sleeves' had formed around the lower parts of her arms. And all of this without a Gardevoirite.

"H-How…" Professor Oak stammered, reaching for his cellphone.

" _James…"_ Kimono said, her voice seeming to come from everywhere. _"Professor Oak is a very wise man who told me to show you my heart. So…this is my heart, laid bare before you."_ She glided up to him, seeming larger than she really was due to the power she exuded. _"You have said that you let your Pokémon choose the kind of relationship they want with you, is that right?"_

"I-I don't think of you as property, but y-y-yeah," he stammered; he'd never seen a mega-evolved Pokémon before, let alone one of his own.

" _Then I would like to change the nature of our relationship,"_ she declared. _"Jim, please marry me; I wish to be your wife."_

James barely noticed the professor on his cellphone as he looked into the eyes of his partner. "W-Wife? Y-You want to b-be my wife?"

" _I choose you, James Roberts,"_ she declared using his real surname, with an interesting turn on the way the phrase was typically used.

"I…I-I…" he croaked, his breathing starting to quicken. "I've gotta go!" he yelled, bolting for the sliding glass doors, slamming into them before remembering to open them to escape.

" _Jim…"_ she called as she reached out to his retreating form. _"I love you…"_ Her body started to glow again and, once it faded, she was back to her 'normal' form.

After sliding his cellphone into a pocket, Professor Oak made his way over to the distressed Gardevoir and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Are you going to be okay, dear?"

"He hates me," she mourned. "He saw my heart and was disgusted by it."

"Oh, sweetheart," he said, drawing the trembling figure into a fatherly embrace. "I doubt he hates you. I think he was surprised and perhaps a little embarrassed. After all, he had no idea how you felt, right?"

"Right," she sniffed.

"He probably feels like he should have known somehow," he offered. "Just give him some time."

For the first time in her life, Kimono wept.

* * *

"I should have known…" James cursed himself. "All the signs were right there…" The veteran trainer wandered aimlessly through the city, cursing his stupidity and cowardice as his feet carried them wherever they wanted. "Stupid, stupid…and I ran away!"

Eventually his feet took him into the bar that he would always visit while in town, and he plopped down on the same stool he always did. "The usual, please," he said to the bartender.

"One root beer, coming up," the man behind the counter acknowledged. "You okay, Jim? You look like crap."

"I'm fine, Bill, thanks for worrying," he replied he accepted the bottle with shaky hands. "I just got hit with…I don't know, something huge today."

"What was it?"

Without warning, James grabbed his friend by the lapel, forcing the other man to look at him. "Do I look like a Poképhile to you, Bill? You know, one of those who goes out and draws pictures of Gardevoir with big boobs or something like that? Do I?!"

"What's gotten into you, Jim?" the bartender said, trying to remove his friend's grip from his shirt. "Have the gossip columns been writing about you again or something?"

"Gossip columns?" James asked, his grip loosening. "What do you mean?"

Bill cursed himself inwardly; he had tried to keep that kind of stuff away from his friend, then went and blabbed it himself. "Nothing. Just…nothing. Now, why are you coming in here and being all belligerent?"

James caught a glimpse of his own hand, and quickly released the other man's shirt. "Sorry about that, buddy; I'm not myself right now."

"Yeah, I get that," Bill said, straightening his shirt. "Well…if you want to talk about it, you know where I'll be." He gestured to the bottle. "I'll just leave that for you; looks like you might need it."

"Thanks."

James tipped the bottle, letting the cold, sweet liquid wash over his taste buds on its way down his throat. Root beer had always worked to calm his nerves for some reason. While other guys would make themselves smelly and stupid with standard beer, he was always able to think straight after a bottle or two of root beer.

A few minutes later he heard the front door creak open and closed, then felt a presence next to him. "I'll have what he's having," came a familiar voice. He turned to see a familiar fellow accepting a bottle from Bill.

"P-Professor Rowan? What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying a cool one," the doctor said matter-of-factly. "What about you?"

"Same," James grunted, his mind finally starting to clear. "I just came from an…interesting situation."

"So I've heard," Rowan said. At the younger man's puzzled look he pulled out his cellphone. "I received a call from Dr. Oak not too long ago. I understand that your Gardevoir was able to mega-evolve without a stone?"

"Then I guess it wasn't my imagination," James murmured. "And neither was the rest of it."

"The rest of what?" Rowan asked with a curious expression.

James sighed heavily as he sat up on the stool. "I think…I think Kimono proposed to me."

"Hm," Rowan grunted, seemingly unimpressed.

"But that can't have happened…it must have been my imagination."

"Do you normally have fantasies like that, Mr. Gottum?" Rowan asked, his bottle clunking against the counter as he set it down.

He had to think for a minute. "No…nothing like that."

"Why would it be your imagination, then?"

"What else could it be?" James exclaimed passionately. "It had to be my imagination, which means I'm a Poképhile and I'm dangerous!"

The old scientist snorted. "Or, she could have proposed to you just like you heard."

"But-"

"Have you heard of the legends from my region?" the older man interrupted.

"I think so," James said, trying to recall. "The Sinnoh Folk Tales, right?"

"Do you know them?"

That took a little more work. "If I remember correctly, the first one is about eating Pokémon…" he said with a shudder.

"Forget all that," the doctor said, waving his hands before retrieving his bottle. "Do you remember the third story?"

"I think so," James repeated as the older man drank. "It's something like: 'There once were Pokémon that became very close to humans. There once were humans and Pokémon who ate together at the same table. It was a time when there existed no differences to distinguish the two'."

"Right," Rowan replied, setting the bottle down again. "But that's the newer, sanitized version of the story. Ever heard the original?"

"No, sir."

"Then get ready to have your socks knocked off." The scientist took a deep breath: "'There once were Pokémon that married people. There once were people who married Pokémon. This was a normal thing because, long ago, people and Pokémon were the same'." He retrieved his bottle again and took a long drink.

"But…but…how?" James finally managed to ask. "I mean, a human and, say, an Ekans?"

"I admit it can be hard to accept at first," Rowan acknowledged. "But consider this: Suppose that, long ago, scientists of the time found some way to combine human DNA with animal DNA to try to get the best of both worlds."

"It…makes me uncomfortable, but okay."

"And just suppose that, as time passed, those new life forms could choose between being more human versus being more animal."

Gears turned in James' head but he said nothing.

"Those who chose to keep their humanity would end up with forms that more closely resembled humans, while those who gave in to their baser aspects would…not," he finished, lifting the bottle to his lips again.

"Are you saying that Pokémon like the Gardevoir chose to hold on to their humanity?"

"It's a theory," Rowan said casually. "That would explain why even Trainer Ketchum's Pikachu could only speak variants of its own name, while others like Kimono…" he trailed off, letting the thought hang in the air.

"So a Pokémon and a human could marry…under certain circumstances?"

"There are no laws prohibiting it right now," Rowan noted, again in a casual tone. "So, what do you think?"

"Sir?"

"Of Kimono," Rowan pressed. "She's expressed some pretty deep emotions about you, hasn't she? Don't you think she deserves an answer? Or is she just a pet to you?"

"Of course not!" James nearly yelled. "She's always been special to me! From the time we met, through her growth as a Kirlia…"

"I remember reading about that," Rowan remarked. "She was one of the most beautiful Kirlia ever, wasn't she? You think you might have had something to do with that?"

"I…"

"James?"

The troubled trainer turned to the source of the voice. "K-Kimono?"

The Gardevoir stood awkwardly just inside the open door to the bar. Behind her, James could see Professors Oak and Sycamore. "I was told that I could find you here," she said, so quietly he could barely make out her words.

"I'm so sorry!" he said, rushing over to lead her by the hand into the bar. "D-Don't worry; I haven't been drinking alcohol."

It started to look like a Pokémon professor's convention as Oak and Sycamore were followed by Professors Kukui, Burnet and, surprisingly, Juniper. "Man, this place is getting crowded!" Kukui exclaimed as he surveyed the room. "Let's push some tables together!"

"Wh-Why are they all here?" James asked Professor Oak as the other scientists settled around the combined table and started to give their orders.

"I confess; I called the others after we figured out where you were," he admitted. "Since Rowan's from the Sinnoh region and knows the lore better than any of us, we had him meet with you first."

"But why?"

The older man gave him an amused look. "Would you really be all right with all of us showing up at the same time, trying to help?"

"Um, no."

"You see?" Oak said with a broad smile as he gestured to the table. "Please, join us."

James wordlessly sat at the proffered spot at the table, between Sycamore and Kimono and across from Oak. "I'd really like to talk with you later about your mega-evolution," the younger professor said to Kimono. "Megaform with no stone? I gotta hear about this."

"Let them settle down, first," Rowan admonished his junior. "They've already had an exciting day."

James could feel a familiar brush to his consciousness and directed his attention to his friend. _"Kimono? I'm sorry for running off the way I did."_

" _I forgive you,"_ she replied. _"I_ _did_ _surprise you with that, and for that I apologize as well."_

" _I forgive you. Could…Could we talk after this? I want to give you an answer."_

He heard a gasp through their shared link. _"That's…you don't have to rush, I-"_

" _No, it's fine,"_ he said. _"You showed a lot of courage back there, and I ran like a coward. You shouldn't have to wait any more."_

" _Okay."_

After that they enjoyed a good, if simple, meal as they talked about Kimono; her self-initiated mega-evolution, her ability to talk, as well as James' style of training.

"'Coaching' is what I've preferred to call it," he said to the group. "'Training' makes them sound like animals, but I've always thought that they're more than that."

"See what I mean?" Oak said, wagging a finger at the other scientists. "He has an…instinct about them. He knows at a gut level what we doctors have been studying for decades."

"We're called 'professors' simply because we know more about Pokémon than most other people," Rowan explained. "Oak here studies Pokémon-human relationships, while I study their evolution and Sycamore specializes in their mega-evolutions."

"That's why I want to talk to you about what happened," Sycamore added helpfully.

"Hey, what about us?" a voice from the end protested.

"Yes, yes, Protestor Kukui there…" Rowan paused with a smile as he was interrupted by chuckles, "…specializes in their attacks and Burnet, his wife, studies the relationships between Pokémon and other dimensions."

"Amazing…" James breathed. He already knew about their respective fields of study, but to share a table with them… "It's a real honor to be here with all of you, really."

"Before we get too far away from my point," Oak said, tapping a fingertip on the table, "Mr. Roberts here has managed to maintain a farm for Pokémon with little outside assistance, with minimal use of Poké Balls, and has managed to…bridge a certain gap between humans and Pokémon."

The trainer in question cast his gaze to the table as he felt his face heat up, but relaxed when he felt Kimono's hand slide into his.

"Mr. Roberts?"

"Huh?" James quickly looked up at the group. "I'm sor-hey, how do you know my last name?"

"Calm down son, your secret's safe with us," Professor Oak said in a gentle tone. "We have to know the real names of all trainers to protect them from imposters…Trainer Gottum."

"Understood, sir."

"So, what do you think?" Rowan asked Oak, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair.

"I think he has potential," Oak replied, crossing his arms as well. "His area of knowledge is similar to that of Fennel's, but…"

"Fennel's covers trainers themselves," Juniper argued. "From what you've told me along with what I've read, Trainer Gottum's understanding is more like yours."

"No," Oak said, shaking his head. "It is similar, but mine's more generalized."

"I'm sorry for interrupting," James said, raising his hand, "but…what are you talking about? I'm feeling lost, here."

"Right!" Oak said, seeming to catch himself. "Sorry about that." He took a deep breath. "The truth is, James, we've been impressed with what you've managed here. Thanks to your instinct, for lack of a better word, your farm is able to operate even when you're not there, you've managed to raise several dozen free-roaming Pokémon without losing control of them, and you've…" he gestured at the Gardevoir next to James to finish his thought.

"J-James is a great man," Kimono declared, unconsciously wrapping her arms around one of his.

"The point is, we'd like to bestow upon you the title of 'Professor'," Rowan said, folding his hands. "While your field of expertise is similar to Fennel's and Oak's, your style covers a…gap of sorts that we'd like to look into more."

Two sets of jaws dropped. "Are you serious?!" James blurted as Kimono stared at him, wide eyed.

"Very serious," Sycamore confirmed. "And before you start thinking, 'I'm too young', consider that I'm not that much older than you."

"Oh James, how wonderful!" Kimono cried as she threw her arms around him fully.

"I…don't know what to say…" James said, awestruck and apparently unaware of the Gardevoir hanging off of him.

"We'll give you time to think about it. We know you've had a lot thrown at you today," Rowan said as he glanced at Kimono. "Just contact one of us when you have an answer and we'll meet up again."

"Thank you!" James blurted. "Thank you so much! I'll…I'll try to be quick!"

"But first, you have other matters to attend to, don't you?" Oak said with a wink before looking to his colleagues. "Shall we be off then, give the young man room to think?"

Several grunts of agreement followed, and the scientists filed out of the bar, leaving James and Kimono by themselves.

Bill left the back of the counter and walked up to thump James on the back. "Thanks for bringing in the business, Jim; I owe you one."

"Yeah," he said somewhat numbly. "No problem."

"James? Are you all right?" Kimono asked, her voice full of concern.

He glanced over at his partner…partner? ...before looking at her fully. "Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Let's, uh…let's talk."

* * *

Kimono clenched her hands over and over again as she glided behind her beloved. Everything seemed fine at the bar, but she knew that didn't necessarily mean that he would accept her proposal, which worried her greatly.

He led them into the arena, where the maintenance crew was still cleaning up from the day's events. He headed out to where they had stood during the competition and stared at the marker where she had started round after round, winning her battles against scores of Pokémon.

"James…?" she called, her voice uncertain.

"It's hard, you know?" he said, tapping at the ground. "I mean, you were a Ralts when we met. I took you in and took care of you the best I could."

"You did a wonderful job, James," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Thanks." He rubbed at his nose before wiping at his forehead. "I remember giving you your name; I was surprised you accepted it."

"I thought it was a lovely name," Kimono remarked. "I still do."

"I'm glad," he said before returning to his memories. "I was there when you evolved into a Kirlia. That 'tutu'…" He chuckled at the memory. "You looked like a little ballerina."

Kimono also smiled, but said nothing.

"And then, six months ago, when you became what you are now?" he shook his head. "I look at you and consider myself the luckiest trainer in the world to have been part of your growth."

"And I'm the luckiest Pokémon in the world to have you as my trainer," Kimono said quietly. "I'm lucky to have you in my life."

"Thanks," he said, studying her with a small smile, then shook his head. "And now, this."

"I'm sorry that my proposal made you uncomfortable," she said, ducking her head meekly. "I just couldn't keep it to myself any longer."

"No, I think I understand," he said, tapping the ground with his toe again. "It's just that…well, it kinda puts me in an awkward position."

"How so?"

"Well, since I basically raised you from a Ralts, that kinda makes me like a…well, a father," he finished as he rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward expression.

"James, look at me." After he did so she said, "My father and mother were both Gardevoir who loved me very much."

"How did you end up by yourself like that, then?"

"Let's just say I was a strong-willed Ralts who got in over her head and ended up lost," she said simply.

"Sure…okay."

"But I am so happy that you found me and took me in," she continued. "With the loving care you gave me…it's no wonder I was considered a very beautiful Kirlia."

Unable to face her, James turned away slightly to hide his embarrassment. "You were, but I figured it was just who you were."

"It was, but only because…AAAHH! JAMES!"

He whirled at her cry to find her caught in the glow of a Poké Ball's capture field. "Kimono!" He knew she was too strong to be trapped that easily, but he still ran over to her and grabbed her as he quickly looked around. Finding the offending ball, he kicked it away, releasing her from its pull. "Who threw that?!" he demanded, looking the likely direction it would have come from. "Show yourself! I'll beat you into next week!"

"I told you, stupid; it wouldn't work," he heard a short distance away in the darkness.

"Who's there?" James demanded, protectively moving Kimono behind him.

"Shut up moron, he can hear us," another voice hissed.

"I can hear that, too," James warned as Kimono peeked over his shoulder.

Two boys started to approach them, and James recognized them as the members of Team Switchback that had spoken to them earlier. "You got us good earlier, Gardevoir," one of them said.

"But now that security's gone home for the day…" the other added, cracking his knuckles.

"You. dared. to. hurt. my. FIANCÉE?!" James growled as he started to advance on the boys. "Oh, it's stomping time!"

"F-Fiancée…?" Kimono breathed, folding her hands to her chest. "J-Jim…?"

"Holy crap, we made him mad!" the knuckle-cracker yelled, and both boys ran for their lives, with the veteran trainer in hot pursuit.

"You'd better run!" he yelled. "I was on the track team in high school!"

The boys cried out again as they somehow picked up speed.

James didn't run far though, breaking off the pursuit to return to his friend. "Are you okay, Kimono?" he asked, puffing lightly as he took her by the shoulders.

She looked into his eyes with wonder. "Jim…you… you called me your fiancée…"

"I did?" he said, straightening abruptly. "I guess I did, didn't I?"

"Does that mean…?" Her eyes looked hopeful.

"Yeah, it does," he admitted bashfully. "Of course, I wanted to do it more formally, but…" he drew himself up to his full height. "If you're okay with someone like me, Kimono…I'll marry you."

She gasped, her hands folding to her chest again. "Oh, Jim…" She held that pose for a moment more before lunging for him, being careful not to impale him with her horn. "Oh Jim, I love you so much! Thank you, thank you!"

"I don't know what the future will be like for us," he admitted, his voice heavy with emotion as he held her, "but I'll face it with you to the best of my ability."

'Embrace Pokémon' indeed.


	6. Bridging the Gap

**Chapter Six: Bridging the Gap**

The morning glow roused James from a restful sleep and he stretched, feeling every muscle fiber pull as he pointed his toes and stretched his arms out above his head. As he drew in the first full breath of the day he noticed a familiar if unexpected smell in the air. "Is that…eggs?"

He grunted as he sat up on the couch and twisted his neck around, hearing several small pops as he worked out a few kinks. While he didn't mind sleeping on the couch, he occasionally found himself with his head in odd positions, and apparently the night prior was one such night. "Well, better see who broke in…"

He padded into the kitchen area on bare feet to find Kimono standing before the stove, pushing a spatula around the inside of a pan, and the sizzling sound along with the stronger smell informed his that she had to be the responsible party. At least no one had broken into the hotel suite. "Morning, Kimono."

Without a word, she quickly put the spatula on the counter, removed the small gloves she was using to protect her hands from the heat, and hurried over to greet him with a happy smile. _"G-Good morning, h-honey,"_ she said as she pressed herself into him as much as she could.

""Honey', huh?" he mused as his still-sleepy brain turned the concept over a few times. "Guess I'll have to get used to that, huh?"

Her face fell immediately. _"Y-You don't like being called 'honey'?"_

"Whoa, wait a minute! I didn't say that," he said, waving his hands defensively. "I just… You surprised me."

" _Was it a good surprise or a bad one?"_

"A good one…I think. Listen, could I finish waking up first before deciding?" he asked, rubbing his face with one hand as he wrapped his other arm around her narrow shoulders. "I just woke up a few minutes ago, and you know I'm not my best right off the bat."

" _Of course,"_ she said. _"I'm sorry; I was so excited and looking forward to calling you that…I guess I forgot everything else."_

"Don't worry about it," he said, wrapping both arms around her to give her a gentle squeeze. "I'm not mad or anything, just…not ready."

" _Okay."_

"So, what's cooking? It smells good. You scrambling eggs?"

" _I am,"_ she replied as she glided out of his embrace and back to the stove. _"You haven't had eggs for several days – and I know how much you like them – so I went out this morning and bought a few."_

The fog suddenly lifted with his alarm. "Wait…you went out by yourself?"

" _I did,"_ she replied as she took up the spatula again. _"Was I wrong to do that?"_

"Well, no…I just wish you had checked with me first. I mean, after last night…" Even though she had been in no danger of being captured, seeing her in the grip of the Poké Ball's capture field had him feeling more protective of her than usual.

The hand holding the spatula slowed. _"I…hadn't thought of that. I'm sorry."_

" _Don't worry about it,"_ he thought back, still feeling too tired to use his voice. _"Just…let me come with you from now on, okay?"_

" _Okay, James."_

He smiled as he crossed the few steps needed to put him behind his fiancée and wrapped his arms around her again. He could feel her lean back into him; the horn on her back pressed into his stomach slightly, but since it was smaller and rounder than the one on her chest it didn't bother him too much. Just being able to hold her made it worth the minor discomfort. _"You remember that check out's at noon, right?"_

" _I haven't forgotten,"_ she replied. _"I've gathered my few things already as well as packed most of yours; I left your toothbrush out along with some of your other…things…so you could just pack them and go when you're done."_

" _Thanks, Kimono."_ He gave her another gentle squeeze. _"Listen, you don't need to do stuff like that for me; it makes me feel like you're trying to be my servant or something."_

She turned off the heat and moved the pan to an unlit burner, then placed her hands on the arms still wrapped around her. _"I don't mind, Jim, really. When I can do things for you, I feel…closer to you."_

" _Okay, well as long as you don't feel like you_ _have_ _to. Where did you get the money to buy the eggs? My wallet?"_

" _I'm sorry…"_

"Kimono, stop." He let go of her to turn her to face him. "It's fine… Look, I don't want to spend the rest of our time together with you apologizing for everything, okay? Next time we'll…set up a budget, how's that sound? Like ten or fifteen dollars a day when we're on trips. How's that sound?"

" _That…_ That sounds wonderful…" she said, opting to speak out loud as she gazed up at him. "We can make breakfast together, and maybe go out to lunch or dinner together…"

"That sounds really cool," he said, the sleep finally leaving his smile. "And...Oh, that's right! Rings!"

"Rings?"

"We have to get engagement rings!" he said, starting to get worked up before catching himself. "Unless…you're not interested?"

"It's not that," she replied, shaking her head. "Is this a tradition of some kind?"

"Yeah!" he said, nodding excitedly. "See, when you get engaged you're supposed to get matching rings; it shows that you belong to each other…so to speak."

"That sounds wonderful," she said, clasping her hands as her eyes lit up. "How do you wear them?"

"On your left hand, your ring finger." He held up his hand and pinched the third finger. "This one."

She held up her own hand and examined it. "I'm not sure a ring would stay on my finger; it's too slender."

"Yeah, you're probably right," he grunted. "Well, we could always put it on a necklace; I've heard of people doing that."

"Could we?" she asked, folding her hands to her chest. "I can wear necklaces without a problem!"

"When we get back home, we'll look for a pair of rings, okay? And a chain to put one of them on, of course."

"That sounds wonderful," she repeated, then her face fell. "Jim…? Do you really think people will accept us like this?"

He sighed heavily as he took her into his arms again. "I don't know, Kimono… I guess we'll find out…together."

* * *

James was relieved to find people smiling at him as they rode the train back home. Of course it was likely due to the sight of the Gardevoir sitting across his lap, snuggled into him, fast asleep. He wondered if they would have still smiled at him had they know that the Gardevoir in his lap was his fiancée, but he wasn't going to risk inviting trouble by broadcasting it.

He looked down at the figure within his embrace and gave her a protective squeeze, and smiled as she sighed and shifted slightly. He had one arm around her, keeping her from sliding to the floor and, more importantly, close to him; the other was draped over their few items of luggage. Most of what he had brought were items needed for Kimono for the tournament, but he did have one bag for his stuff.

She sighed and snuggled into him even more, and he found himself awed with the level of trust she showed him, not to mention the love and trust she had given him from the beginning of their relationship. He was still a little concerned that he may have been engaging in 'Wife Husbandry', but he firmly believed that his concern would keep him from taking unfair advantage of her.

They finally arrived at their stop, and James gently nudged her awake. "We're here," he said softly.

Her beautiful crimson eyes flickered open, and she looked up into his face, lifting a hand to caress it. "I had a wonderful dream."

"I'm glad," he said as she slid from his lap. "Why don't you tell me about it on the way home?"

" _That's…"_

Mid-way to grabbing the luggage, he did a double-take as the sight of her cheeks coloring. "You…don't have to if you don't want to."

" _M-Maybe another time."_

"That's fine," he grunted as he loaded himself up and nodded toward the train doors. "For now, let's hurry."

They made their way out of the station and Kimono hailed a cab. James threw the luggage in the taxi's trunk and slid in next to her in the back seat. "Gottum Farm, please," he directed the driver.

"Right away, sir."

Kimono latched onto him again as the taxi pulled away from the curb. "It's only been three days, but I'm sure the gang's missed us both," James remarked.

"Voltaic's probably crazy with excitement," Kimono added, referring to the Pikachu that James had caught a couple of years prior.

James' chuckle came out more as a snort. "Yeah, you're probably right. And when Pierre sees you he probably won't be able to waddle fast enough."

"Hey, did your Gardevoir just talk?"

The couple in the back blinked at the intrusion. "I'm sorry?" James asked.

The driver gestured through the mirror at the Gardevoir. "Did your Pokémon just talk?"

James had to bite back a nasty reply before he could speak again; he still hated it when people referred to Pokémon as though they were property. "Yes, Kimono here can talk," he managed to answer politely. "Why?"

The driver took a longer look in the mirror, then had to swerve to avoid hitting a bicyclist. "Hey, you're that one trainer, aren't you? The one with the free-roaming Pokémon?"

"Yes, he is!" Kimono replied before James could open his mouth. "This is the great James Gottum!"

"I'm not great…" James groaned, hiding his face behind a hand.

"You are!" Kimono insisted as she leaned into him, trying to pull his hand away from his face. "You take wonderful care of all of us, and…you showed faith in me when I needed it."

"Eh-heh…" the driver chuckled awkwardly. "You two seem awfully close…are you like this with all your Pokémon?"

"We're engaged," Kimono blurted before she could stop herself, then gasped as she realized what she had just said.

"I…see." The taxi started to drift toward the sidewalk before the driver caught himself and wrenched it back to the middle again. "C-Congratulations?"

A mortified Kimono kept silent the rest of the way home.

* * *

" _I am_ _so_ _sorry, Jim!"_ Kimono exclaimed for the umpteenth time as he put her bags on the bed in her room. _"I spoke without thinking…I feel terrible."_

" _It's not like I'm ashamed of you,"_ he replied. _"I…I'd just like a better idea of how it'd be taken before we go telling everyone. You know, so we have some idea of what to expect."_ He touched a finger under her chin to lift her eyes up to his smiling face. _"You know, when I look at you I don't see a Pokémon; I see a friend and companion. It's like…I see_ _who_ _you are instead of_ _what_ _you are. Does that make sense?"_

Her large eyes blinked, and a single tear escaped. _"I love you so much, James Roberts…"_

He put his bag down to take her in his arms. _"And I love you, too, Kimono…"_

As expected, dinner was chaotic, with all of James' friends wanting to personally welcome them back, from Air Razor the Celesteela to Zynk the Onix. Kimono had a hard time eating due to Pierre insisting on being in her lap during the meal, though she finally got him to settle into the seat next to her. At least dinner wasn't too noisy, and the two had a chance to talk about their plans.

"I was thinking that we could look for rings next weekend," James suggested. "I could leave Shade in charge again; he seemed to do a good job while we were gone."

Kimono nodded thoughtfully as she considered the Lucario. "That sounds good; I'm sure he's worn out after taking care of the others for so long, so he could use a break." She blinked. "Maybe we should get him something special as thanks for his hard work."

" _I require no compensation for my services, but thank you for thinking of me,"_ the Lucario said as he suddenly appeared next to them. _"I didn't mean to pry, but I heard you talking about going somewhere this coming weekend?"_

"Kimono and I are, uh…well, we need to purchase a pair of rings," James said as matter-of-factly as he could; he wasn't sure why he felt the need to keep it from one of his friends since he knew he'd want to tell them eventually.

" _You intend to marry Kimono, sir?"_ Even though the words had been sent directly to his mind, James could still hear the surprise in the Lucario's voice.

James hoped that there weren't any other psychics nearby. _"Yeah, that's the plan. Of course, we weren't planning this when we went to the tournament."_

" _Of course, sir."_

" _Listen, could you keep it under your hat for now?"_

" _I don't wear hats, sir."_

" _James is concerned about how other humans will react to our relationship,"_ Kimono interjected. _"He's simply asking you to keep it a secret for now."_

Shade regarded his fellow warrior. _"Very well, Kimono; I will do this for both of you."_

" _Thank you, Shade."_

" _Yeah, thanks buddy,"_ James added. _"So, would you be up to holding down the fort next Saturday?"_

Fortunately, Shade understood that particular metaphor. _"I would be honored to care for my brethren. What time do you plan on departing?"_

" _We're not sure, yet,"_ the veteran trainer admitted. _"We made our relationship official last night, so we haven't had much time to plan."_

" _Regardless, when you have decided you need only to inform me,"_ the Lucario assured him. _"I am at your disposal."_

" _Thanks,"_ James said; in spite of the Pokémon's manner of speech, he knew that Shade didn't think of himself as a servant or slave. _"I'll let you know as soon as we do."_

Shade inclined his head before disappearing abruptly; James had yet to figure out how he could do that.

* * *

With the way she was carrying herself, James could tell that his fiancée was worrying about something as they headed down the hallway to her room. "You okay?"

"I'm worried about you, James."

"About me? How come?"

Her pace slowed, bringing them both to a stop. "I'm worried that other people will reject you because of me. I'm worried that you'll lose your friends and family because of me!" She tried to control her emotions but failed as she covered her face and started to cry.

Before he knew it, James had taken her into his arms, holding her closely while gently caressing her face. "Shh, it's okay, Kimono; if I lose friends, then I'll just make new ones. From the looks of it, I could end up with Professor Oak as a friend, as well as the others. He knows about us, remember?"

She nodded quietly, sniffling but no longer crying.

"I'm in this for the long haul, right? You chose me, and I couldn't get away," he said as he smiled down at her.

"What if I released you?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Then I'd just find you again," he replied easily. "Face it; you're stuck with me." His smile broadened as she giggled softly. "You see? Everything'll be fine; we just need to stick together and be there for each other."

"You're right," she said in a shuddering tone. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm glad that you worry about me; it tells me how much you care." He tilted her face up to place a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Y-You kissed me?" she gasped, now holding a hand to the affected cheek. "D-Did you just kiss me?"

"I most certainly did," he declared. "And I'd do it again."

"Would you?" she asked, looked up at him wide-eyed.

"Of course I would."

"No…I mean…would you… _do it again?_ " she asked with reddened cheeks as she glanced up at him several times.

He felt his face heat up, suddenly feeling awkward in spite of his earlier bravado. "S-Sure." He moved in again, but she placed a hand on his cheek, stopping him.

" _Wait,"_ she said. _"Th-The other cheek."_

"Huh?" he said, surprised by the sudden change in voice. "Oh…right; wouldn't want you lopsided, right?"

"R-Right," she said as she turned her head appropriately.

He leaned down again, pressing his lips to her cheek, and he could hear her breath catch. He opened his eyes long enough to see that her eyes had closed, apparently enjoying the sensation, so he closed his eyes again and let her enjoy it for as long as she wanted.

* * *

After wishing her fiancé good-night, Kimono closed the door to her room, then turned and leaned against it with her hand on her chest. _Is that what married life's going to be like?_ she thought with a shudder. _"If that's the case I want to marry him…as…soon…as…"_ She trailed off as the worries started to return. _"But…what if the other humans refuse to accept me? To accept us?"_

She fell on her side onto the bed and curled up into a ball. _"I love him so much, but do I want to take away the rest of his life just because I want him? I wish…I wish I was human! Then we wouldn't have to worry!"_

She started to cry again, not noticing the bluish-white glow that had started to form around her…


	7. Hatching a New Future

**Chapter Seven: Hatching a New Future**

James woke up and stretched, grateful that he could sleep in his own bed again. Sleeping on couches was fine, but he was starting to realize that perhaps it was time to upgrade to two-room hotel units.

He splashed some cold water on his face and brushed his teeth to rid himself of his 'night breath' before leaving his room to visit his fiancée.

He rubbed his eyes as he padded down the hallway and gently tapped the door to Kimono's room. "Kimono?" he whispered. "You awake?"

No answer.

"Kimono?" he said a little louder, knocking on the door with an equally increased volume. "You there?"

Still no answer, which worried him.

Feeling guilty for invading her privacy, he turned the doorknob and entered her room. "What the…"

On her bed laid a large, blue crystal-like object. It was easily the size of a human and, with the way it pressed into the mattress, fairly heavy. A steady pulsating glow emanated from it. "Kimono?" he said as he looked around her room, giving the thrumming crystal a wide berth. "Are you in here? Please answer me…"

" _Is something wrong, sir?"_ James jumped as the Lucario suddenly appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. _"I detected distress from you."_

"Do you know where Kimono is?" James demanded, in a near-panic not just from the Gardevoir's disappearance but also from Shade's abrupt appearance.

" _She is on her bed,"_ he replied, pointing at the large crystal. _"She appears to have encased herself in there for some reason."_

James cautiously made his way over to her bed and examined the crystal more closely. "Kimono? Are you in there?"

No answer.

" _Kimono?"_ he said, hoping that mind-speaking would give him more luck. _"Are you in there?"_

Still no answer.

He reached out and carefully touched the structure; its texture matched its appearance, hard and smooth to the touch.

" _I don't believe she can hear you,"_ Shade confirmed as he joined his trainer by the bed. _"I'm sorry, sir."_

"It's okay," James said, running his hands across the bluish gem's glowing surface. "Thanks for telling me."

" _Will you be okay, sir?"_

"Not until I find out what's going on," the veteran trainer replied with a sigh as he laid his other hand on the Lucario's shoulder. "Well…I guess I'd better get started, huh? Would you be willing to get my cellphone from my room? I…don't want to leave Kimono alone right now."

" _As you wish,"_ he Pokémon replied; one blink later, he had disappeared.

"How does he do that?" James wondered aloud, grateful for the mild distraction. "One of life's great mysteries, I guess..." He turned back to the crystal and laid both hands on it, closing his eyes and trying to reach out to his fiancée, so close yet so far away…

* * *

"Amazing…" Professor Oak breathed as he checked the readings on the device in his hand. "Simply amazing. My scanner shows that she is in there, James, but…it's as though she's in some kind of suspended animation."

"How do you know it's her?" James asked as he tried to look over the doctor's shoulder at the screen.

"The psychic 'signature' in there is that of a Gardevoir," he replied, pocketing the scanner. "Even though all psychic Pokémon use the same kinds of attacks, their 'signature', for lack of a better word, is different between different species."

"Do you know why she's in there? And how long she'll be in there?"

The older man shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea. To be honest, I'm surprised that my scanner was even able to detect this much; it's not designed with this in mind." He cupped his chin with his hand as he studied the crystal. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say this is like a cocoon or chrysalis."

"Are…Are you saying that she's evolving in there?" James asked incredulously.

"It's a possibility," Oak said with a heavy sigh. "Other than bug-types, Pokémon usually don't need a cocoon to evolve, so to find a Gardevoir in one…" He briefly gnawed on his lower lip. "If she is evolving, it must be something major."

"Like a permanent Mega-Gardevoir?"

"It's possible. Look, James, I can't give you any definite answers; I wish I could, but I can't. Perhaps Professor Burnet might be able to help with this, but I can't be certain."

"Okay, doc," James said, heavy-hearted. "Sorry for being such a pain in the butt."

Oak chuckled warmly as he laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "It's fine, son; I'd be worried if you weren't asking a bunch of questions." He cast a gaze over at the pulsating crystal. "For now…treat her like a coma victim."

"Sir?"

"You know how when people are in a coma, their friends and family are encouraged to talk to them?"

"I've heard of that, yeah." He looked over at the crystal. "You think she can hear me?"

"If she can, you'd want her to hear your voice, let her know she's not alone, right?" Oak asked, smiling as he clapped the veteran trainer on the shoulder.

Despite his distress, James managed to return the doctor's smile. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks."

"Don't worry, trainer Gottum," Oak said reassuringly. "I'll call the others and see what we can find out for you…and for ourselves, to be honest."

"Sir?"

The old professor looked appropriately sheepish. "Well, this is an amazing find; of course we'll want to learn as much as we can. But don't worry; she is still an individual first, and we'll respect that."

"Thank you," James replied. "This might sound weird, but I really do hope that this helps you out in some way."

Professor Oak's smile broadened as he clapped the younger man on the shoulder again. "Hang in there, Mr. Roberts; I believe everything will turn out just fine."

As the good doctor left, James looked back at the crystal on Kimono's bed and wished that he shared the professor's optimism.

* * *

The Pokémon professors came and the Pokémon professors left, all of them scratching their chins and promising that they would let James know of anything they discovered. They had carefully scanned the crystal, taken slivers of samples from the structure itself, and just generally hemmed and hawed over it.

Most of all, they tried to be reassuring toward the distressed trainer. "I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this," Professor Burnet said sympathetically as she left with her husband. "We'll do our best to find out what's going on and get back to you as soon as possible."

"Thanks," James managed through the lump in his throat.

"Chin up!" Kukui said while giving a thumbs-up. "Maybe she's working on making herself mega-hot for you!"

Burnet gasped and sent an elbow into her husband's midsection. "Are you seriously going to say that? Under these circumstances?"

"Sorry…" Kukui said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Spoke before I thought."

"It's fine," James said. "Thanks for caring."

"Everything'll be fine; you'll see," the wrestler-professor said, sending a nod toward the bed. "Just take good care of her and she'll be in your arms again before you know it."

"Thanks."

Days passed, then two weeks, then three. James spent much of his time sitting in the chair next to Kimono's bedside, talking to her about his dreams for their married life, about coaching the other Pokémon, about the weather, about…anything to keep the communication line open. When his vocal cords tired he'd switch to 'mind-speaking'.

Eventually, though, he broke down. _"Kimono, please come back; I miss you. I love you. It doesn't feel right without you around."_

* * *

It was the middle of the fourth week, and James was exhausted. His eyes had become bloodshot, he had started slouching, and he wouldn't speak to anyone if he didn't have to. He looked like he had aged ten years in a handful of weeks. No amount of encouragement could lift his spirits.

He was sitting slumped over in the chair next to Kimono's bed; he had run out of things to talk about, so he would spend hours just…sitting.

As he sat, he noticed something…different…about the crystal; the rate of the pulses had quickened. "What the…" He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed a number before heaving the phone to his ear. "Professor Oak? This is Jim. Sorry to bother you, but…something's different about the crystal."

" _I'll be right over,"_ came the reply.

It was easily an hour, but to the distressed trainer it seemed like an instant. "The light's flashing faster," he explained as he led the doctor to Kimono's room. "I called you the minute it started."

"The others should be here before long as well," Professor Oak grunted. At James' surprised look he added, "I thought it'd be best to have their collective expertise. Was I wrong?"

"No, not at all!" James replied as they turned the last corner leading to the hall to Kimono's room. "I'm just…a little overwhelmed to have so many…well, famous people in my home."

"This could revolutionize our understanding of Pokémon on so many levels!" Oak exclaimed, visibly becoming excited. "The cultivation of your relationship, this sudden phenomenon involving the crystal…but first, of course, she is your fiancée," he conceded, settling down again.

They entered the Gardevoir's room and the professor immediately took out his scanner and held it toward the crystal. "I've made some modifications to this based on our discoveries from last time-yup, she's in there, but…" He punched a few buttons on the device. "…something's…different."

"Not surprising though, right?" James asked.

"True," the doctor grunted. "I'll admit that I'm still surprised that my theory is correct, but-"

THUMP

Two heads snapped up at the sound. "What was that?" James asked anxiously.

"Oh my…" Oak breathed.

The light within the crystal had subsided, and a silhouette could be seen moving within; it appeared to be punching at the inner wall of its prison.

"Kimono?" James slowly approached the side of the bed and could see a figure pounding on the inside of the crystal.

" _James?"_ a terrified voice cried out in his mind. _"What's happening?"_

"Professor, I think she's trying to get out!" he cried out in a panic.

"Stay with her!" Professor Oak ordered as he whipped out his cellphone and hurried for the bedroom door. "I'll be right outside!"

"Got it!" James yelled, the previous exhaustion falling away as excitement overwhelmed him. _"It's okay, Kimono, I'm here."_

" _I…I can't breathe, James!"_ her panicked voice replied. _"I feel like I woke up underwater!"_

" _What?!"_

" _Help me, Jim!"_

He looked around for something, anything that he could attack her prison with. Finding nothing, he came to a decision. _"I'm gonna try something, Kimono! Cover your face!"_ He braced his feet and folded his hands together in a hammer. "Here goes….NGAAAH!" he yelled as he brought his clenched hands down on the gem's smooth surface.

No noticeable change.

He brought his hands down onto the crystal again and again until they ached, but the structure refused to yield.

" _James…"_

Just as he was about to bring them down on the crystal again, he had a flash of intuition. _"Kimono, use one of your attacks!"_

" _Which one?"_

" _It doesn't mat-Will-O-Wisp! Use Will-O-Wisp!"_

An orange glow started to emanate inside the crystal, and part of its surface melted away, evaporating into some kind of mist, which was oddly drawn back into the crystal.

" _Kimono? Are you okay?"_

" _It's working, James!"_

" _Do it again!"_

Two more Will-O-Wisp pulses were enough to dissolve the top of the crystal, and a hand thrust from the liquid. A very _human_ -looking hand.

James grabbed the hand and helped Kimono sit up. What he saw caused his jaw to drop. "K-Kimono…?"

A young woman sat waist-deep in the pool within the crystal. As she choked, coughing out the fluid from her lungs, James could see some hints that she was his bride; her shoulder-length hair was the same shade of green and 'styled' very much like a Gardevoir's, her skin was unusually pale for a human and, when she blinked up at him, he saw with a gasp that her irises were a reddish color. "K-Kimono…?"

"Jim?" she said, throwing her arms around him, still coughing. "Oh James, I was so scared! I was trying to go to sleep, and when I woke up I was underwater!"

Before she could say anything more they heard a shocked gasp from the entrance to the bedroom, and James looked to see Professor Oak, with professors Rowan and Juniper right behind him, all of them with mouths agape. "What…What happened?" Professor Rowan managed to ask.

"Jim saved me," the young woman said tearfully, still holding on to her hero. "He had me use an Attack on the shell, and it went away!"

"K-Kimono?" James repeated. "You're…Kimono, right?"

"Of course I'm Kimono!" she exclaimed as she pulled away, leaving her hand on his arm. "Don't you…recognize…me…?" She trailed off as she noticed her hand. "M-My hand…what happened to my hand?"

"Kimono…" James said carefully, "You…don't look like a Gardevoir anymore." He got up and retrieved the mirror from her dresser and handed it to her. "Here."

She accepted it with a puzzled expression before directing her gaze into it; her eyes immediately widened. "Wh-What?!" She reached up with her free hand and touched her face. "I…I'm human?"

James watched with a mixture of joy and anxiety as his newly-transformed fiancée ran her hands over her face, through her hair which covered slightly pointed ears, and down to-

"I have these?!" she said as she discovered a pair of soft protrusions from her chest.

"Gah!" James choked; in everything that had been happening it had never fully registered that she was naked. "Towel! Sheet! Something!" he quickly started rummaging around for anything he could use to protect his girl's dignity.

" _Here, sir."_ As was his usual way, Shade appeared seemingly out of nowhere, this time holding a large towel. _"Will this be sufficient?"_

"Thanks," James said, accepting the rescue. "You're a lifesaver."

The Lucario inclined his head slightly before disappearing again.

"How…did he do that?" Professor Oak stammered.

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself," James admitted as he wrapped his bride in the oversized towel. "Are you up to walking, Kimono? I'd like to get you cleaned up."

"I…I think so," she said and, with an odd combination of exiting the crystal while being covered by the towel, she managed to get to the floor on unsteady feet. "J-James, my legs feel weak…"

"Okay, I got this," he replied, then picked her up, princess-style, and started for the door. "Excuse me please, gentlemen."

"O-Of course." The three scientists stepped aside to let the young couple through. "May we study the crystal while you're gone?" Oak asked.

"Let's…ask Kimono later," James replied, briefly pausing at the door. "Right now, she needs taken care of."

"Of course," the professors replied in unison, all with warm smiles.

* * *

"The last thing I remember was crying on my bed before waking up in…that," she shuddered as she accepted the mug of warm tea from her man; with her sat all of the known Pokémon professors, the others having arrived during her bath. "I felt like I was drowning."

"Wait, you were crying? How come?" James asked while studying, and still trying to get used to, her new 'look'; she wore a pale green dress that he'd sent Symphony, a Meloetta, to purchase. "Did I hurt you or something?"

"No!" She exclaimed, then looked down into her mug. "I was…wishing I was human."

"Well, it would seem that your wish was somehow granted," Oak said, his voice a mixture of amusement and awe.

"Indeed," Rowan grunted.

"And you didn't intentionally create that chrysalis, right?" Birch asked, leaning forward.

"No, professor, I didn't."

"Miss Kimono," Sycamore started, "may we have your old chrysalis to study?" At James' glare he quickly held up a hand. "I wouldn't ask now, but we don't know how long it'll remain viable."

James grunted but looked to his fiancée. "He has a point. Is it okay with you?"

"The sooner that's out of here, the better," Kimono said. "I may never recover from that suffocating feeling."

"Then maybe we should take care of that now," James suggested. "Are you up to walking? We shouldn't go in your room without you there."

"I think so," the former Gardevoir replied, putting down her mug.

They made their way back to her room, where Professor Sycamore headed over to the chrysalis. "We'll need some way to…what in the…"

The giant crystal had started to glow again, but instead of pulsing, it started rapidly dissolving into some kind of mist, which flowed to Kimono and disappeared into her chest. The whole process was hauntingly beautiful.

"I guess we won't be studying that, then," Oak said awkwardly.

"I'm so sorry, professor," Kimono lamented. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Don't worry about it, dear," Rowan said consolingly. "I have a feeling that it was just part of you, returning to you."

She laid a hand on her chest where the mist had entered her. "James, do all human women have red gems on their chests?"

"Huh?"

She moved closer to him and lowered the neck of her dress just enough to remind him of the spot he had seen while bathing her; a small protrusion, about an inch tall, stuck out slightly from her chest, just above and between her breasts. It appeared as though she had a small rock somehow embedded in her chest. It was pretty, if a little out-of-place.

"That's…" Juniper gasped as he pointed at the protrusion. "…that's got to be her horn! Or part of it!"

James felt the need to intervene as the scientists stared at the horn in amazement. At her chest. "Gentlemen, please; this is my fiancée you're staring at," he said while moving her hand to allow her dress to cover her again.

Several pairs of eyes blinked. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry!" Oak exclaimed. "I saw it and turned all 'scientist'."

"Perhaps we should be going," Rowan suggested with a meaningful look. "Our secondary reason for coming has returned to its owner, and our primary reasons need some time alone."

"Indeed," Sycamore agreed. "Would we be rude to leave rather abruptly?" he asked the young couple.

"Not at all," James said. "You're right, though; I can't speak for Kimono, but I'd like some time alone with her."

"I'll see them to the door."

James turned to see a Gothorita standing patiently by the door. "Are you sure, Oui? I wouldn't want to put you out."

"I was just passing by and heard that you needed help, so here I am," she said sweetly.

"Okay, thanks, but…no hypnosis, got it?"

"Oui."

James still didn't fully trust the Gothorita despite having helped with her evolution from Gothita. "Okay…thanks, then."

"How long will it take for me to earn your trust?" she grumbled as the professors followed her out the door.

"She's probably right," James grunted as the last professor left the room. "She really hasn't given me any reason to distrust her."

"Reputations can be hard to overcome," Kimono remarked, "but she's doing her best."

"How are you doing?" he asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.

She sighed heavily. "Better, but this is going to take some getting used to." She glanced worriedly at him. "What about you? Are you okay? Am…Do…Do you still want me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I still pretty enough to be your wife?" she asked self-consciously. "After all, I'm not a Gardevoir anymore, but I'm not fully human, either." She then squeaked as she found herself in the circle of James' arms.

"I told you; I see who you are," he reminded her. "As far as your…unique looks?" He moved a hand to stroke her hair as he looked her in the eyes. "I like your hair; it's a nice shade of green. And your eyes?" He allowed himself a shudder. "I could get lost in them."

"What about my…my horn?"

He quirked a smile. "At least I don't have to worry about being jabbed by it?"

"Jim…" she giggled.

"Seriously, though; if you're worried about it, we could have you wear necklaces to cover it. Better yet, it's low enough that nobody should be seeing it, anyway."

"Except for you?" she asked, gazing deeply into his eyes. _"I'd want_ _you_ _to see it."_

He swallowed hard. _"Let's…Let's get married, first; then you can tempt me all you want, all right?"_

She smiled softly, her crimson eyes twinkling brightly. _"Okay, Jim."_


	8. A New Family

**Chapter Eight: A New Family**

"What a beautiful wedding," one woman gushed to another as they left the church.

Her friend, a woman wearing clothing fit for royalty, nodded thoughtfully. "Yes indeed, but did you get a good look at the bride? What country did she come from?"

"I heard that she used to be a Pokémon," the first woman replied.

"Really?" The friend sniffed as he fluttered her lacy fan. "Imagine that! Marrying one of those beasts!" She scoffed again as they passed an older, gray-haired man wearing a blue suit and a wry smile.

"'Beast', indeed," snorted Professor Rowan as the women walked away, taking their judgmental conversation with them. "She's a fair sight easier on the eyes - and certainly more pleasant – than many of our so-called 'women' these days."

"What's bothering you now?" Professor Oak said as he joined the older man. "I swear, you've been grumpy almost from the minute we set foot in the church."

"Eh, people," Rowan grunted.

"Unfair assumptions about Kimono?"

"Makes me glad I spend more time around Pokémon…and trainers, of course," Rowan amended.

"Well, the bride and groom should be along shortly to brighten your mood," Oak said lightly. "I must say, her hair color made a nice contrast with her gown."

Rowan snorted, but his smile belied any perceived irritation. "And I find it an interesting coincidence that her dress looks so much like her old Mega-Evolution…but you're right; she looked lovely."

"Does it make you wish you were a young man again?" Sycamore asked, abruptly appearing to elbow his elder.

"I'm quite happy with my family arrangements, thank you very much," Rowan grunted. "But…were I to be completely honest, I do consider Professor Gottum to be a very fortunate young man."

"Hear hear," Oak said, raising an imaginary glass.

"Professor!" a happy voice cried out, and the men turned to find Kimono Roberts hurrying toward them, nearly dragging her husband along in the process. "I'm so glad you could make it! Thank you so much for coming!"

"It's our pleasure, dear," Professor Oak said as he accepted a hug from the young bride. "You've come so far, and I am very happy for you."

"Thanks for coming, Professors Oak, Rowan, Sycamore," James said as he shook each of their hands.

"We're glad to have made it," Rowan said. "And we look forward to witnessing the fruits of your research…Professor Gottum."

"'Professor Gottum'," James repeated. "It's going to take me a while to get used to that."

"Imagine going from 'Okido' to 'Oak'," Professor Oak quipped.

"Or 'Nanakamado' to 'Rowan'."

"Or-"

"Okay, okay, I get the idea!" James laughed while pretending to cover his head. "Have mercy!"

Rowan shared his laugh as he laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "You'll do just fine, Jim." He cast a glance over at Kimono. "And congratulations; you're a very lucky man."

"Thank you, sir," both newlyweds blushed.

"Now get out of here," he ordered with a wink. "You have a…" Rowan trailed off as he looked past the young couple. "Well! Looks like you have some late arrivals."

The newlyweds turned as one to see a pair of Gardevoir approaching; even though they carried themselves with equal grace, James could tell that one of them was male while the other was female. He couldn't remember inviting any Pokémon outside of his friends, so he was sure that they were strangers. "Hi," he greeted. "Can we help you?"

"D-Dad? Mom?" Kimono gasped. "It's you, isn't it?"

" _Hello, dear,"_ the female said. _"We were in the forest nearby, and your father sensed you, but…what happened to you?"_

" _I got lost,"_ she explained with her comparatively limited telepathy. _"I'm sorry for wandering off."_

" _You look human, somehow,"_ her father observed, then glared at James. _"Did you do this to her?"_

" _No, sir!"_ James exclaimed, waving his hands.

" _James took me in after I got lost and took wonderful care of me, and-"_

" _You fell in love with him,"_ her father said matter-of-factly.

" _Yes, father,"_ she replied, with head bowed.

He glided back to examine her husband. _"You are James Roberts, veteran Pokémon trainer."_

" _Yes, sir."_

The Gardevoir blinked in surprise. _"You call me 'sir'; that is a sign of respect, if I understand correctly. Do you treat all of my kind with respect?"_

" _I try to treat_ _all_ _Pokémon with respect,"_ James replied. _"Especially if the Pokémon are my wife's parents."_

A giggle sounded in his mind as the female lifted a hand to her mouth. _"You are a very kind man, aren't you? I can feel it in your heart."_

" _Thank you, ma'am,"_ James replied. _"I don't think I'm that good, but-"_

" _You_ _are_ _, Jim!"_ Kimono interrupted, taking hold of his arm. _"You took in a lost Ralts and invested so much of yourself in her, naming her, helping her grow and evolve, that she…"_ She blushed, unable to finish her thought.

" _A name? You gave our daughter a name?"_ the mother asked.

" _He named me 'Kimono'."_

" _She never told me her name, or if she even_ _had_ _one, so…sorry,"_ James said.

The female Gardevoir clasped her hands together. _"What a lovely name! Don't you think so?"_ she asked, turning to her mate.

" _It is…fitting,"_ he conceded. _"I will not contest it. But all this still does not answer my question; why do you look human…Kimono?"_

" _If I may,"_ came the new yet familiar voice of Professor Oak. _"It would seem that your daughter managed to create a cocoon-like structure and undergo a major evolution within."_

" _Is this true?"_ the father asked, directing his question to Kimono.

" _Yes, father."_

" _Why?"_

" _I think it's because I wished to be human."_

" _Why?"_ he repeated.

" _I…wanted to marry James but was afraid that he would lose his friends and family."_

" _Is that so…?"_ he said, cupping his hand to his chin. _"While to_ _do_ _feel a sense of loss from seeing you evolved like this, there is no point in getting angry or otherwise upset over it."_

" _You_ _do_ _look lovely,"_ her mother remarked.

" _Mom…? Dad…?"_

" _Very well; I will approve of your…marriage…to James Roberts,"_ her father declared. _"Of course, we will want to be able to visit our daughter on occasion. That won't be a problem, will it?"_

" _Of course not, sir; in fact, you're welcome to live with us if you want,"_ James replied. _"You've missed your daughter a lot, I'm sure."_

" _We'll…consider it,"_ he said. _"Your reputation precedes you, Trainer Gottum, so I will admit that your offer is tempting."_ With a slight nod, the two Gardevoir made their way back to the forest near the chapel, disappearing into its depths.

"Well, that was different, wasn't it?" Oak said, clapping his hands. "You didn't expect to meet the parents of the bride, did you Jim?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head, "but I'm glad I did. I wish you'd had more time to talk with them, though," he said to Kimono.

"It's okay," she said softly as she looked to where her parents has disappeared. "Now that we've found each other, I'm sure we'll have plenty of time in the future." She lifted a hand to his cheek. "Thank you for offering them a place to live."

"I…just thought that if they'd like someplace stable, and they could be close to you…" he trailed off with a reddening to his cheeks.

"Anyway, as I was about to say before all this," Rowan said, waving his hands, "you have a honeymoon to enjoy, right?"

"Right," James replied as he squeezed his bride's hand.

* * *

"James, this is beautiful," Kimono gushed as she gazed out at the sunset from the balcony of their suite. "The orange sun over the water, the seagulls singing…it's lovely."

"Glad you like it," he grunted as he half-placed, half-dropped their suitcases near the closet of their room. Still panting slightly, he then joined her on the balcony. "I figured that since we'll only get married once, we should go as all-out as we can."

"Thank you so much," she breathed, turning to place her hands on his chest before leaning into him. "Whoever thought that a scared Ralts would ever be able to enjoy something like this?"

"I didn't," he admitted. "But I'm glad that she can."

She turned her crimson eyes to his green ones and he could see tears forming in them. "Why are you so good to me, Jim?"

He blinked in mild confusion. "Well…because I love you; you know that, right?"

"Of course, but…why do you love me?"

"You're asking after all this time?" he said with an amused expression. "Okay, fair enough. The truth is...your confession helped me to realize what I'd felt for a while," he admitted. "Since you weren't another human, it never occurred to me that it could be love…this kind of love, I mean. I love all the Pokémon I care for, but…" He shook his head. "My feelings about you were the same, but different…if that makes any sense."

"Not really," she admitted with an awkward giggle. "But thank you for taking the trouble to try to answer." She reached up and laid a hand on her beloved's face and he found himself doing the same, his fingertips coming to rest on the distinctive points of her ears. "Is…Is it okay for me to cry for a few minutes?"

"If you need to," he said, raising his other hand to stroke her emerald locks. "Take as long as you need to; I'm not going anywhere."

"I know, Jim," she said, her lower lip starting to quiver. "You've always been there for me, right from the beginning. Thank you so much."

She hadn't cried much, but he could tell that they were happy tears, and as he held her in the orange glow of the sunset of their first day as husband and wife, he vowed in his heart to be everything she needed and more.

 _Rough Draft Complete_


End file.
